Highschool ExC
by Hakai Suu
Summary: Hiro Akihiko is what you can call a completely normal, if not shy boy. Despite not having many friends, he always gets dragged in the mishaps of his older sister figure. However, one fateful evening, he walks into a battle between a lucky stray devil and a high ranking devil. Reincarnated as a devil by the very senior he looks up to, he begins his new life!
1. V0L0

**Highschool E×C:Volume 0**

* * *

 **Life.0 Prologue**

* * *

 **Part 1**

Hyoudou Izumi—that's my name. But my mother and aunt, as well as the guys at school just call me Izumi. A few exceptions get to call me Izumi- _ane_.

I'm a second year highschool student who is experiencing the time of her youth, well, I experienced it last year.

You see, I was held back a year and had to repeat. Why? Ufufu, you'll find out soon enough.

No, it isn't because I am famous for being lecherous and is thought to swing both ways.

No, it isn't because I am the "Queen of Perverts", either.

Being held back a year, I met two second years who share the same lecherousness as me.

Those two are Matsuda, a sporty girl with short black hair reaching up to the back of her neck, and Motohama, a four-eyes girl with hair as long as mine. Matsuda has the ability to take awesome angled pictures of boys or girls alike, from panty-shots to the swimming team putting on their trunks or showing their bare abs, you name it and she can capture it with her camera. Only 5 yen each picture if you're interested.

And then there's Motohama, she can use her glasses to measure the bust, hips, and waist of a girl AND a boy. She measured me from the time we first met.

And then there's Aika Kiryuu, who can measure the size of a man's thingy, period.

Motohama, Matsuda and I are known as the "Perverted Trio", and both the girls and boys avoid us.

There's also Hiro, Akihiko Hiro. I'm his big sister figure by the way. He's quite famous for being the kindest soul in this academy, he also excels at his studies—but not because he's a naturally skilled student, but because he always studies hard. Even staying up late at night, reviewing old topics and studying new ones.

Unfortunately, he's also the most unpopular guy in school. In all his time studying and living in Kuoh, he didn't have a single girlfriend. Even his mother who is my aunt and is also the school nurse, is getting worried.

Well, enough about that anyway. Onward~

 **Part 2**

[WAKE UP! WAKE UP! IF YOU DO—]

I furrow my eyebrows with my eyes closed, my alarm was cut off even before I woke up?

"Izumi-ane! Hey, wake up! You're gonna be late for school if you keep sleeping like this."

"...umm. Hmph..."

I pull the covers over my head, and then I heard a sigh before the tugging of the covers returned again.

"Izumi-ane? Come on, Obaa-sama's already prepared breakfast downstairs. I also have to eat my breakfast!"

"Hmm... Go eat by yourself!"

I raise my hand and shoo away the irritant in my room, he sighs again and I hear a couple of footsteps from around me.

"Hey, Izumi-ane! Wake up, please!"

My eye twitches as I open them, I turn to see a youth with brown hair and red eyes sitting on my bed side. He has a cute impatient look on his face, my day is complete~

He sighs and says "Finally...", while holding his chest.

"Wake up, please?"

Haha, let's play a little, Hiro-kun.

"Hmm... Umm... Make me~!"

"Uwaaah!"

I reach my arms forward as quickly as I can and tug with all my strength.

MUNYUU~

"Mmph!"

I giggle to myself as I wrap my arms around his neck, his face buried in between my breasts.

As usual, his face is the reddest. He then shouts in a muffled voice.

"I-Izume-ane! Wake up! Pleaaase! And put a shirt ooooon!"

I smile with a bit of drool flowing from my mouth as I tighten my embrace even more.

Yeah, I'm a pervert.

—-

After a while, Hiro was sitting on the bed with a red face while I was putting on a red tank top, I liked wearing this since it always got Hiro flustered at home. Yeah, I like playing with this guy a lot.

After getting dressed, Hiro fixed his uniform which I ruined in front of the mirror.

"Good morning, everyooone~!"

After reaching downstairs, I greet the world...er, my mom.

"Geez, you really are a sleepyhead. Hiro-kun had to come over to wake you up, again!"

She scolds me again, geez! Of course I'd have a lack of sleep, Matsuda made me watch a porno with a story longer than the actual sex last night! I hit her for it, even Motohama hated her!

"It's fine really, I also came here to borrow one of Izumi-ane's textbooks."

"You really study a lot."

I replied to him, he put the said book onto his black shoulder bag. I notice the keychain attached to the bag, I gasped slightly.

"You actually kept that?"

I point to the said keychain, his face reddens.

"Of course, it's a special gift, so I'll keep it."

I sigh, I seriously envy the one who gave him that.

I observe the keychain, it was a simple emerald-colored diamond-shaped crystal attached to a gold chain and then onto his bag.

"Ufufu, looks like someone is in love?"

His face reddens further than it already has suddenly.

"What!? No!"

If she heard you, she'd be really surprised.

After that, we ate breakfast, showered and headed to school.

 **Part 3**

"Seriously? You're reading a book, even on the way to school?"

He turns to me and smiles apologetically.

"I seriously need to do this, this will be this topic for today."

I sigh and avert my gaze away, resisting the urge to call him a nerd.

Then I notice a silvery white color in the distance, or more precisely, behind a nearby streetlight.

—!

I see a girl with white hair peeking from the side of the streetlight, clutching to it with her hand as if for dear life.

"Hey, Hiro."

"Huh?"

"Your stalker's here again."

"Huh, where?"

Hiro turns and surprisingly(not), he doesn't see her.

"Don't joke like that, it's not like anyone will like me..."

He puts on a fake smile and turns back to his book with a sigh, a lonely expression on his face.

Jesus, Hiro.

"Ah, Izumi-senpai!"

I turn to see a girl with short black hair and a camera hung around her neck, Matsuda.

"Dumbass!"

As she ran towards us with Motohama behind her, I punch her in the face.

"What was that for, huh!?"

She shoots up with a bruised face.

"Thanks to you, I wasn't able to sleep that much last night! You stupid pervert!"

"Huh!? Aren't you a pervert too!?"

DON!

We bump our heads while having veins pop in our foreheads.

"I'm not the same as you, I'm a smart pervert!"

"So you're calling me dumb, Izumi-senpai!"

"Yeah, at least I've actually seen a real pair of breasts, as well as a real penis!"

"Oh yeah! Aren't the pair of breasts your own!? And don't brag about peeking on Hiro-kun, it's like adding salt to my wounds!"

While we were fighting it out like two actual pervs, a sound reaches our ears.

"Oh~, I wonder what you're reading about, Hiro-kun~"

We turn to see a glasses girl with her head on Hiro's shoulder, although she isn't equally blessed on the mammary portion of her body as mine, she still has boobs and is rubbing them against Hiro's back while wrapping an arm around Hiro's torso and the other around his neck. She also has a lecherous expression with a bit of saliva drooping from her mouth.

Damn, MOTOHAMAAAAA!

"I-It's about h-history and a-also literature—"

Hiro who seems to be troubled starts panicking while having a red face, Motohama opens her mouth wide and bites down on Hiro's neck.

"U-Uwah..."

She starts giggling, this bitch!

"Hey—!"

"Motohama—!"

Both Matsuda and I shout while pointing our fingers to her.

"Oh~? What is it?"

[GET OFF!]

We both punched her in sync, knocking her out with a satisfied smile on her bruised face.

 **Part 4**

After arriving in class, I—Hiro Akihiko, settled myself in my seat.

I sighed and placed a single book on the table, intent on reading it and reviewing the topic we are about to tackle today.

After fixing myself on my seat, I take the book with one hand and read it while holding the spine of the book, flipping the pages with my other hand.

"Good morning, Hiro-kun."

I look up from my book to see a girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, a beauty mark underneath her left eye and a smile on her face as she sat down on my desk.

I close my book and put it down, I can read it later.

"Good morning, Kiba-san."

Yes, this person, is Kiba Yuuki-san. One of the girls from this school leaning on the more popular side, she's widely known by her nickname the "Princess of Kuoh", and is often admired by a lot of guys, and girls too.

"I see you're studying again, am I bothering you?"

"Ah, no! No, not really! Hehe…."

I laugh awkwardly and scratch the back of my neck.

There's really nothing to talk about, let alone a reason for her to approach me.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Kiba-san?"

I ask her, and she sat down on the seat beside me, leaning her cheek on her palm as she smiled towards me.

"Nothing really…. I just wanted to greet you, that's all. You can keep studying if you'd like."

A single bead of sweat slightly drops at the back of my head, I pick up my book again while glancing at her. She was still smiling at me!

"Okay then… Kiba…-senpai…"

I began to sweat profusely, she's still smiling, isn't she?

That can't be, what reason would she be doing that, anyway?

I swallowed as I couldn't even understand what I was reading anymore, slowly turning my head mechanically, I tried to be discreet as I could as I tried to see if she was still smiling—

"Oh right, Hiro-kun,"

—!

What is it now? Why am I so nervous, it's only Kiba-san!

"Yes? Kiba-san?"

I smile wryly with a bead of sweat going down my cheek.

"I was wondering where you'll be eating this lunch."

Eh?

"Eh? Why?"

Hearing that, Kiba-san's cheeks slightly redden as she looks down with a smile while poking her fingers together as her lands were on her lap.

"Well, if you'd like, you can come over to our clubroom. We can eat lunch together and…."

She starts to mumble the rest, with such a face—that's unfair, Kiba-san!

—

Wait, what is this…..

My body tenses up as I feel malicious intent from all around me, I quickly glance around to see that most of the guys in class are glaring at me!

(Damn it, why does _he_ get to have Kiba-san act like that towards him?)

(Kiba-san has been like this for a while now.)

(Die already, Akihiko!)

Uwah—!

My heart…..

"Anyway, Hiro-kun, how about it?"

She resumes to her usual self and raises her head, I turn back to her and clear my throat.

I'd like to Kiba-san, but I can't do that.

"I'm sorry Kiba-san, I'm really glad for your invitation, and I'd also like to see the Occult Research Club's building someday. But I can't take you up on that offer,"

Hearing me, Kiba-san gets shocked for a second, and then she straightens her body and leans it on the seat, putting her legs back underneath the table as she faces the blackboard.

"I see, I understand entirely why."

"I'm really sorry, Kiba-san, but I promise I'll definitely go so—"

"It's fine, it's fine. I understand…. It's Rudori-senpai, right?"

Hearing her, my cheeks flair up and I quickly cover my face with my book. She chuckles slightly, patting me on the shoulder.

"No need to be flustered, it's okay to pursue your feelings, Hiro-kun."

She read through me—!

I turn to her, she silently gazed towards the front of the class, and then she sighed.

We were like this until class started.

 **Part 5**

[KIN KON KAN KON~!]

The school bell signaling the start of the lunchbreak rang, I quickly put my things back in my bag and took out my lunch.

A strange sensation envelopes my body, a weird feeling felt by me. I suddenly get the urge to look out the window, and a turquoise-haired beauty looked up to me with her emerald colored eyes as I looked through the window.

She looked well-endowed and wore the females' uniform of our school, with an addition of a witch hat placed above her head. She was so beautiful as the first time I saw her.

She placed a hand on the side of her mouth, raising her wrapped lunch with her right hand. I read the words she mouthed.

[Let's have lunch, Hiro-kun.]

I was filled with enthusiasm all of a sudden, I grab my lunch and walked fast out of the room. After exiting the building, I was greeted by the sight of the same turquoise-haired beauty standing in the shade of a tree surrounded by a wall small enough to sit on, her emerald eyes shining in the dark as well as her hair.

I breathe in and out before walking towards her, she watches me and smiles.

"I was wondering when you'll get here."

I was taken back for a moment, nervousness struck me. But then I saw her smile, and it looked like everything was fine.

Nervously sitting beside her, I catch my breath. She bumps her shoulder to mine.

"So, what are you having for lunch today?"

I get flustered a bit, but no! I can't be like this, I'm a man!

I clear my throat. Like this, I spent my lunchtime with Rudori-senpai.

 **Part 6**

After school ended, I was currently walking home with Izumi-ane and her friends.

While they were chatting, I was some distance away since Izumi-ane told me to get away from her friends a bit. And they began arguing because of that.

I chuckled a bit and tried to calm them down, only to no avail.

Then suddenly, I turned to my right to see a familiar emerald-haired woman walking into a park.

"Rudori…-senpai?" I muttered.

Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat. I didn't have a good feeling about this.

Is she walking alone? If so, something bad might happen!

I have to…. I have to….

"Izumi-ane, I-I forgot, there's somewhere I have to be right now!"

Izumi-ane stops arguing with her friends and turns to me, surprised. "Eh?"

I waved slightly while walking away. "Please go on without me!"

I ran past the fountain, and into the park. I have to make sure nothing bad happens to her.

Fixing my shoulder bag, I resorted to walking at a fast pace.

 **Part 7**

As I ventured further into the park, I eventually stopped in front of a fence. This was the open field most people practice sports on, a fenced court.

What would Rudori-senpai be doing around here?

[DOOOON!]

I quickly duck as a lime-colored beam suddenly fired towards the sky in a slant angle. I looked to my left, to the source of the beam. The wind shook.

"Kuhuhuhu, surely if I was hit, I wouldn't be able to survive!"

I hear a voice, I then look up to see a large black object leaping past the fence, and crashing onto the field.

With dust scattered everywhere, I cough slightly and cover my mouth.

"Kukukuku…."

When my sight grew clear, I couldn't believe what was in front of me, I look up to see a very abnormal creature.

An upper body of a woman, but the lower body of an abomination.

I swallowed, a bead of sweat trailing down my neck from my chin.

"Hnn…. I wonder…. I smell something else…. Something, tasty!"

"What?"

Towards the direction she was facing, a figure floating in the sky was there. It had wings and was eminating a lime-colored aura from itself.

"There he is!"

To my shock, the woman's gaze was already directed right into my eyes.

She turned her large body, I couldn't move. I felt like a mouse petrified by a snake's gaze.

"What are you—No, it can't be!"

I heard the voice of the figure once again, a beam of energy was once again fired. This time, towards the monster in front of me.

"Ketaketaketa! Yes it can!"

I tried running, but as I turned my body I felt a large hand get a hold of me.

I turned to see that it wasn't her upper body's hand, but it was her lower body's large, thick, and clawed hand.

"Kukukuku, what do we have here?"

My body began to shiver as she held me close to her upper body, she licked her lips and held my head with her hands.

"Hehehehe, looks like you'll be a fine meal—"

"LET HIM GO!"

[DOOOOON!]

I feel the wind once again as the monster leaps in time to dodge the beam.

Then, for a second. I saw the figure's features.

"…."

I was taken back, it was definitely her. I try to deny it, but it was her.

That lime hair, those emerald-colored eyes. She wasn't wearing her uniform, but she retained the witch hat, except it was more detailed now.

In her hand, she was holding a broom pointed towards the monster, on it's tip was a crackling lime-colored light.

For the first time, I felt fear upon seeing her. Upon seeing…. Rudori-senpai.

"Let him go! This is between us! Viser!"

Another beam was fired. This time, I was repeatedly smashed to the ground as the monster ran.

"Kukuukuku, so this boy is important to you? Well then, let me eat him, okay? I'll definitely take care of him, so it's okay, right?"

"NO!"

A beam was fired, but she easily avoided it again.

"Stay still!"

"No, YOU stay still. If you don't surrender and let me kill you, this boy will die instead!"

She held my in front of her, I'm being used as a shield!

My eyes met with Rudori-senpai, at that moment, I stopped moving. We both looked away.

This is the worst.

"Hiro-kun….. Fine, but let him go first."

"Oh, I'm sorry. But I really have no idea if you'll still attack me or not. So you go first, kukuku."

T-This monster! Surely Rudori-senpai won't—

"Fine,"

I gasp, turning to see Senpai dropping her broom to the ground, at the same time extinguishing the aura eminating from her. Her body glowed, she was now wearing her uniform.

"Now let him go."

"Kukukuku, okay then. But first—"

Suddenly, my vision darkened.

Is this it?

 **Part 8**

I open my eyes. I see a sideways view of the park. Eh? Did the world turn sideways? Or was it just the park?

TREMBLE!

Feeling a slight tremor, I shot up and tried to stand. Only to feel pain on my leg and on my whole body.

The feeling of needles piercing my leg was close enough, but there was a large pointed tooth piercing through it instead.

I couldn't stand, and tried to drag my helpless body around. Looking around, I find another tooth instead. This time, it was piercing my shoulder, rendering my left arm useless. I try to move it, but it only causes more pain.

[DOOOON!]

I hear another loud sound as the ground trembles once again.

"I told you before, it's futile! When you tried to stop me from eating that boy, you already used up most of your power. You may be a High-class Devil who is on her way to being an Ultimate-class, but your power is useless if you get exhausted! I also figured you'd get damaged somehow if I killed him, but you only prolonged his suffering instead!"

I look to see the monster using one of it's lower body's thick arms to hold Senpai down on the ground.

"N-No! Shut up!"

Damn it, this is because of me. If I hadn't come here, Senpai wouldn't have been distracted.

And now, I can't even help her. Because I'm too damn weak!

I desperately try to crawl towards her, but she's so far away.

Like the truth, Senpai is… So far away from me. I, I even dreamt of marrying her.

But I guess, it was always impossible. In the past, and in the future.

I felt doubt, now that I realized that Senpai wasn't human. Was, Was she a monster as well?

Cursing myself, I realize that I was speaking ill of the person who was always a friend to me, and just now, was the one who saved me.

I'm the worst.

"Guhah! Aaaaah!"

Senpai's scream fills the air, she was slowly being crushed.

I reach my only movable arm towards her, I can't save her. I began to cry.

Senpai is…. Rudori-senpai is….

DOKUN!

I open my eyes, wiping my tears. Something was eminating from inside me, it felt warm.

No, something was BURNING from inside of me.

I clench my fist. I don't accept this.

It can't be!

Senpai can't die!

I deny my fate, and the burning sensation inside me began to spread throughout my whole body. To my shock, I didn't feel pain anymore.

I stood up.

Some would accept things as they are, but not me! At this moment, I will change my fate!

[Gooooo…]

I hear a sound of something starting up, like a machine.

[GACHAN!]

While making a metallic sound, my right arm gets clad in light. Blue-green, nearly the same color as Senpai's turquoise hair.

Once the light fades, my arm turns black. Or rather, it was covered in black material. It felt metallic, but it was light.

[Goooooo….!]

Once again, the sound of something charging up was heard. This time, the circuits on the bluish-black metal armor covering my arm began to light up a bluish-green color.

I felt light.

[Trace!]

I took a single step forward, and then another. I clenched my fists, and I began to run. As light as my feeling was, the faster I went.

I quickly closed the distance between me and the monster.

"Let go of Senpaiiiiii!" My pseudo-battle cry rang throughout the park, I prepared to punch the monster upward. It was as if time stopped, and I was the only one moving.

My fist made contact with her monstrous lower body. And in an instant, her whole body shocked upwards.

"W-What?"

I then leapt forward, punching her back.

[DON!]

The punches' sound were heard throughout the surroundings.

"Eeyyyyaaah!"

I muster all my strength and release one last punch. I targeted the very center of her entire body, and threw my fist forward.

"This is impossible!"

Her last words echoed as she was sent flying back, my punch evidently being stronger than the previous ones. Stronger enough to send her flying.

My vision darkened, and my body gave in. I lifelessly fell to the ground.


	2. V0L1

**Highschool E×C:Volume 0**

* * *

 **Life.1 I (Don't) Cease Being a Human**

* * *

 **Part 1**

I open my eyes, rubbing them while growling a bit.

I raised my upper body and yawned. Another weird dream. It's about the third in a row now.

Freeing my feet from the covers, I let them drop on the ground. I stand up from the side of my bed, and yawn again while stretching my arms upwards and arcing my back slightly.

I sigh and walk towards the door, grabbing some of my text books that were on the desk as I did so.

"Hiro-kun, breakfast is ready."

A voice from the other side of the door reaches me.

"I'll be down in a bit, Kaa-san." I say. Some footsteps were then heard until they disappeared.

I sighed. In truth, it's not that I was doing something. I just felt like distancing myself a bit.

I held all the books in one hand to my side, and opened the door. I then headed downstairs to stuff these books into my bag.

Yawning as I went down the stairs, I grabbed my bag and placed it on the wooden seat that was supposed to occupy me.

"You studied late again?"

I turned to see a woman with blackish-brown hair, wiping my eyes as I did.

"Yeah, I had some lessons to catch up to. The usual…."

My red eyes eventually found her turquoise ones, they were tinted with worry.

"Are you sure you want to go to school? You haven't been getting that much sleep, have you? If you'd like, I can tell your homeroom teacher—"

"I'm fine, Kaa-san."

I sigh and turn, once again going upstairs to shower.

After showering, I grabbed my hanged uniform and put it on.

Coming down after showering, fully dressed in my uniform, I strapped my bag to my shoulder and grabbed a piece of toast from the table.

I, I'm not feeling well.

It started a few days ago, I couldn't even remember what happened that day.

But I suddenly get to have these dreams, nightmares if you will, of Rudori-senpai fighting a monster.

The images keep getting repeated again and again, as if my mind was trying to tell me something. I know my arm changed at the end of my dream, but sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night, I sometimes feel cold on my entire arm. But it looks relatively normal during the morning.

Ever since then, I haven't been getting so much sleep.

I tried cancelling it out by studying late, but even if I fall asleep on my desk I still dreamt of the same thing.

Without realizing it, I already reached the front gate of Kuoh Academy. A former co-ed school I now study in.

"Hiro!"

[Hiro-kun!]

In front of the gates, were Izumi-ane and her friends.

Waving slightly I walk towards them.

"I'd say good morning, but you definitely look like someone who didn't have a morning that's too good."

Izumi-ane spoke, referring to the shadows underneath my eyes.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes again.

"I'm fine, let's go."

Rearranging the strap of my bag, I walk past the gate.

—

"—!"

To my surprise, I bump into a woman with green hair and eyes.

Both of us stop walking. I looked into her eyes as she looked into mine, I froze.

"Hiro…-kun."

"Rudori…-senpai."

I felt something different this time, a strange feeling if inferiority.

Almost a minute past before we averted our gazes and walked away from each other.

 **Part 2**

I arrive at my classroom, sit down on my desk as usual. Although, Kiba-san isn't here. That's unusual.

Everyone goes back to their seats as the teacher appears. A woman with a youthful face decorated with short brown hair and glasses.

She clasps her hands together, smiling and tilting her head to the side with a cute expression on her face.

"Good morning, everyone~!"

[Good morning, Sensei!]

Everyone replies, me excluded. While Okamine-sensei was checking the attendance, I was once again analyzing the images that haunts me in my dreams. Like I do everyday.

A large monster with the upper body of a woman. Senpai wearing a full witch outfit and firing beams you would usually see in a sci-fi.

My eyes began to grew heavy once again, and my head began to fall forward—

"—Akihiko-kun. Akihiko-kun?"

Okamine-sensei's voice tear through the black abyss that began to cover my eyes, I raised my head and quickly found her.

"I'm here!"

She sighs and lowers her head to look at her list again. Then she raises her head again as if she just remembered something.

"Oh right, Akihiko-kun. Mana-sensei asked me to tell you to go to the clinic. She said she had something to talk about with you. And please, if you'll rest, take your time."

"Eh?"

I look around me, everyone was staring.

"Just go, Hiro, I'll fill you in on the lessons later." Izumi-ane turns to me and mouths those words, her friends also nod.

Well then.

I sighed and stood up, bowing slightly at Okamine-sensei and then my classmates. "Excuse me." I then left.

As I was walking along the hallway leading to the clinic, I slowly began to question Kaa-san's motives.

Nobody was usually walking along the hallway at this hour. Since classes just started, it'll be weird if I was here instead of inside a classroom.

Arriving in front of a familiar white sliding door, I found the sign which read [Clinic] quickly.

KNOCK KNOCK! "Mana-sensei?" I knocked on the door a few times and call her.

"Ah, Hiro-kun. The door's open, come in."

I open the door. "I'm coming i—" And what greeted me was Kaa-san, she wasn't wearing her coat, her shoes either. And she was lying on her side on one of the beds, one of her hands assisting her head as she had it raised and the other placed on the bed.

"Welcome." She says with a slight smile, she wasn't wearing her glasses either.

Kaa-san—Mana-sensei's appearance, along with the strange smell and atmosphere in the room made my face red for a second.

"Er…. W-Why did you call me here, Kaa-sa—Mana-sensei?" I ask her.

"I see, so you're wondering about that." She sighs.

"Firstly, come here. Get on the bed." She moves her hand on the empty space beside her, and sits up. She was now on a kneeling position on the bed.

I nervously walk towards her, just what is she trying to do?

"Sit down with your back facing me, will you?" She asks.

I sit down and she moves behind me, facing my back. Her hands land on my shoulders, to my surprise.

"Relax, it's just my hands." She says with a voice as smooth as silk.

Her hands then began to massage my shoulders, her thumbs rubbing around my upper back, causing me to arc my back a little.

"Uhh…." I let out a small voice.

"Are you being relaxed? I'm glad."

I began to feel both a slight pain and a calming sensation at the same time. Her skill with her hands is amazing, I didn't know Kaa-san—I mean, Mana-sensei was this good with giving massages!

Realization then hit me.

"W-Wait! Why did you call me here exactly?"

I managed to slip a few words.

She leans in closer to my ear and whispers, her hands still massaging my shoulders.

"I called you here, because the past few days I've noticed that you've not been in good shape. I wanted to help you calm down and relax, as well as catch up on your needed rest."

With every word, it felt like a blow to my brain, causing my head to grew heavier with every word that came from her mouth.

She then began running her hands along my side, my body beginning to recline towards that direction.

The next thing I know, I was lying on my side while facing her. I didn't notice it until now, but why do Kaa-san's eyes look like they're glowing in the dark?

—.

"Hiro-kun. Hiro-kun."

I was awoken by the strict but calming tone of my mother's voice.

I look up to see the same woman I saw this morning, she was wearing red-rimmed glasses lacking frames on the upper-side of the lens, a white coat over a green sleeveless turtleneck sweater. She also wore a dull gray-colored skirt with brown tights and black heeled shoes. This woman, was my mother(adoptive). Reiko, Mana Reiko.

For as long as I remember, she has been raising me.

But that's not important now.

"Huh? What happened?"

"I called you here, but then something came up and I couldn't arrive on time. It seems you fell asleep while waiting for me. I'm sorry I made you wait."

I quickly shot up, I felt a bit lighter. As if I was rejuvenated.

What happened?

Wait—

"Asleep? How long was I out then?"

She looks at her wristwatch.

"Two hours, more or less. How do you feel?"

That explains it! I fell asleep, that's why I felt lighter than before.

"Shoot! Lunch is already starting!"

"Well, if you hurry, you can make it and finish lunch as well as continue the second half of classes today."

"Okay, see you later Kaa-san!"

I sprint out of the clinic, and run through the hall.

 **Part 3**

Kuoh Town, nighttime. I was currently walking home after classes ended, and I did a bit of studying on school grounds before leaving.

I felt a weird change within me, just like the past nights.

I always felt nocturnal, but I didn't notice the less apparent changes because I was always in my room.

Even if it was dark, I could see clearly.

And my other senses widened as well, I can feel my surroundings more, I can also hear even the slightest noise.

I also feel like my reflexes also increased.

Bah, I should get home. This is probably because of my dreams that I've been seeing things recently.

I began walking home, letting my feet take me while I take in and feel the surroundings. It's quite cold tonight.

Wait, this route looks a bit familiar?

With a mentality like that, I continued walking on it. Shrugging off the idea of it being familiar.

Until I reached a familiar fountain which was on a path that lead to a park.

Curious, I walked past the fountain and along the stone path, and reached a fence.

Yes, this place. It was the exact same as the one in my dreams.

I held the fence with both hands, the area didn't have that much damage as the one I saw in my dream. But what was I expecting? It was a dream, after all.

Turning behind me, I quickly realized that I wasn't alone.

"What are you doing here in such a late hour?"

I turned to see a woman with black hair and violet eyes, she was about my height, if not taller. She wore a pink blouse with a black skirt, and white knee-length socks.

I couldn't see her features well since the moonlight was coming from behind her, making her seem like a shadowy figure.

"I umm…."

With her eyes glowing in the dark, she narrowed them and revealed a smile.

"I see, so that's how it is. You must be so scared, having no master like that. You ARE a Stray, aren't you?"

"What?"

I reply, she then sighs.

"Surprised how I could tell? Geez, always cleaning up after you Devils."

With that, she placed her hand forward, and light began to form there. It was as if one of the stars came down from the sky and is now in her hand.

Then, while shining a bright pinkish color, a light with the shape of a spear manifested on her hand.

I swallowed a large lump of saliva, she smiled in amusement, probably seeing through me.

"Let's have some fun~"

 **—**

Kuoh Town, in a park, probably approaching midnight.

I was currently running for my life from a woman who started calling me a stray before sprouting wings and chasing me with her spear.

Whenever I manage to find cover, she always appears in there with me.

Now some parts of the park were decorated with holes or spears, the spears disappearing after a while of being impaled on something.

I stopped running and turned, trying to confuse her, but a line of spears were formed on my path.

"It's useless to run, you know?"

As I looked up, she began throwing spears one after the another.

They managed to impale my foot, my leg, my chest and stomach, as well as my right shoulder.

Feeling unimaginable pain, I fell back, coughing up blood.

I heard something hit the ground, and tried to raise my head to see.

She had her wings folded and was walking towards me, spear in hand.

"You know, it could've been easier if you didn't run. Now you'll die slowly, tired, wounded."

She squatted down, our eyes meeting perfectly.

"It was nice meeting you, Stray-kun. But now I'll have to, 'exterminate' you."

I gasped, feeling more immense pain as she stabbed the spear she had in her hand to my chest. Strangely, it also caused the other spears to disappear.

"Strange, even if the spears disappeared, that amount of light poison should've killed you. Hmm, maybe I should bring you back to the headquarters, since you're a weird little Devil-kun. Azazel-sama will surely want to see something like you."

The spear she impaled in my chest also disappeared.

Thinking about it, I probably look terrible now, being filled with holes.

Is this how I'll die? Is this the end?

I closed my eyes, and couldn't hold in the tears flowing from them.

"Eh? Are you actually crying? Huh, I bet this isn't quite the end you saw for yourself."

Kaa-san, Izumi-ane…. I'm sorry….

"What were you thinking? That everything will be okay? Life isn't all rainbows and sunshine, you know? You have to wake up to the cruel reality."

I wasn't even nice to them, in my last moments with them.

"In this world, it's kill, or be killed. Isn't that why you ran away from your master? Stray-kun?"

I closed my eyes.

—!

Cold… It's cold…

Feeling the temperature decreasing further, I opened my eyes again. Raising my head, the woman with wings was now standing up and was on guard.

What's going on?

 **Part 4**

While Hiro was on the ground, fog began to cover the park surrounding him and the winged woman, the temperature also began to decrease.

"What is this?"

The woman could only exclaim her disbelief.

ZAN ZAN ZAN!

She spread her wings and flew as spikes made of ice began to rise from the ground, eventually forming a circle around Hiro, as if to keep her away from him.

"What is this!?" She shouted out of frustration.

"—For what you did to Hiro-kun. —Freeze."

Suddenly she felt cold wind blowing from behind her, she tried to block it out with her wings. But they only did so little as they were frozen as well.

As she was falling down the ground—

"Hmph!"

The fog got cut as a figure holding a broadsword appeared through it. Her broadsword's blue circuits found on it's blade began to glow. The figure then did a sideward sweep with her blade, which the woman tried to block with a spear.

GACHAN!

While making a sound, the spear broke and she was kicked down by the figure holding a broadsword.

Then suddenly, another figure appears underneath her and punches her back from underneath. The figure's fist crackling with azure electricity before an explosion occurred on the woman's arced back.

"GAH!"

She screamed as she was sent back.

"Nobody touches him, he's still newly reincarnated after all."

One of the figures spoke. The woman barely managed to stand up, her frozen wings breaking free from the ice.

"Damn Devils!"

She flew away with a crooked form.

The park was once again filled with silence it originally had in the first place.

"Achoo~!" A sound cuts the silence as one of the figures sneezed. "Yukino, it's freezing here. Can you turn it down?"

"A-Ah, sorry! I got carried away!"

Suddenly the fog slowly disappeared, making the surroundings seem more clear than it was before.

The moonlight was once again able to shine, and within the ice cage which was slowly undone, was the dying young man with holes throughout his body.

"Hiro-kun!"

The first figure who came forward after undoing the ice cage, was a young woman with silvery white hair and blue eyes. Her most notable feature being her hair clips on the right side of her hair.

She was wearing the females' uniform of Kuoh Academy on her body, and worry on her face.

"No, no no no no…. No!"

She cradled his head, he was unconscious but his breathing was not fine.

"We should wait for Buchou, she can take care of this."

Another figure said. She stepped forward revealing herself. She had dark-purple hair tied to a ponytail with a red ribbon, along with matching purple eyes. She was resting her hands on the pommel of her broadsword which impaled the ground in front of her.

"Don't worry, Yukino-chan. Buchou will handle the rest, Hiro-san will be okay."

The last one of them said as she went beside her white-haired friend who was crying.

She was a woman with long blue hair decorated with a single flower hairclip, she had round brown acorn-like eyes and wore the females' uniform with a long sleeved sweater instead of a cape over her dress shirt.

The moonlight shone brightly as the boy it shone upon was breathing his last.

"—I'm here."

The one that arrived last was a woman with green hair and a woman with bluish-purple hair behind her.

"How is he?"

"He got fatally wounded by that Fallen-Angel, Buchou. Why didn't he use his Sacred Gear to fend for himself?"

The woman with green hair conversed with the woman with purple-hair.

"It's because he doesn't know yet. Leave this to me, the rest of you repair this park."

The woman with bluish-purple hair sighed.

"Repairing the same place twice in a week? You really are a dictator, Buchou."

"I'm sorry, but I'll try to make up for this."

The green-haired said as she cradled Hiro and picked up his body bridal-style.

"You'll be okay."

She whispered.

 **Part 5**

I open my eyes. Unlike the previous times I woke up from a nightmare, I wasn't breathing heavily. I felt more at peace, actually.

—As if I had just slept after a long time.

I felt the bed on my back, I was home.

So it was a dream again? But it felt so real, the pain, the exhaustion.

Who was she—or rather, WHAT was she?

I tried getting my mind off of it, brushing it off. But I've been seeing those dreams for a while now.

What's the reason I keep seeing those dreams?

What are they trying to tell me?

What's wrong with me?

I held my forehead and rubbed it, I couldn't remember anything.

Maybe it really was a dream.

Then I felt a slight shiver run up my spine, it felt a bit windy and cold.

Of course the morning would be a bit cold, but it wouldn't really matter if I was wearing cl—

Wait, what?

Suddenly, I realize the state I was in.

—I was naked.

Mostly, some would expect to wake up wearing their underwear, or something.

But not a single article of clothing was covering any part of my body.

With the exception of the covers, of course. It covered my most important part, but not the rest of my legs and body.

I move my hands around the bed, and I feel some sort of clothing. I quickly grab it and raise it to my face.

—!

A bra!?

Yes, in my hand was a black silky brassiere. I quickly put my hand down again, and began feeling around the bed. Another article of clothing!

I raise it to my eyes' level to see i—

It was a black lacy panty.

—.

This, This is something that usually wraps around a girl's private place.

Having been close to my face, I couldn't help but smell it's weird odor. I feel weird just by inhaling it.

Wait, WHAT!?

I shake my head. If this keeps up, I'll become a pervert like Izumi-ane and her friends!

I quickly sit up, realizing there was indeed a pair of women's underwear present on the bed. And looking carefully, there was another pair of legs right beside mine.

"Unn…."

I was quickly startled and nearly fell off the bed.

Lying beside me, fully naked as well, was a girl with turquoise colored hair and matching eyes.

Although her hair was messy, some even stuck to the side of her mouth, there was no denying her beauty—er, face! It was my Senpai! Rudori-senpai!

While sleeping, she seemed like she didn't have any care to her surroundings. Her hair gently touched her white, nearly pale, skin.

Dah! I shouldn't be checking her out at a time like this! What kind of person am I?

Why are we both naked, and on the same bed?

Why am I sleeping with her?

What happened? WHAT did I do?

Did I have se—No! It can't be!

It's impossible for Senpai to do something like that with someone like me! We're friends, and I'm sure there are other guys that she likes!

Damn it, do people lose their virginity in a similar manner?

I move quickly and run to my dresser, grabbing a towel to cover my lower half and quickly leaving the room to shower.

After showering I quickly returned to my room and began fully dressing myself in my uniform, with the exception of my blazer.

I pulled the covers over Senpai's exposed body, but as I was doing so.

[—!]

We were both surprised, Senpai upon opening her eyes, and me to Senpai's sudden awakening.

"Eh? Hiro-kun?"

She sits up, rubbing her eyes. The covers I tried to use to cover her body falling off.

"Unnn... Is it morning already? Huh,"

She stretches her arms and arcs her back, her bosoms bouncing slightly, I turn away in response.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. Good morning, Hiro-kun~!"

She clasps her hand together.

"Don't 'Good morning' me, Senpai! What happened! Why are we sleeping on the same bed? MY bed!"

She was sent back a bit, surprised.

"Geez, it's still early in the morning but you're already so loud?"

"Shouldn't I be? If you woke up naked with someone who's also naked in bed, won't you be as shocked as I am!?"

"Ah yes, it is my first time sleeping naked, so I'm not quite sure."

"What are you talking abo—Wait, sleeping?"

"Yes, sleeping….—naked."

.

.

.

Wait, what was I getting to?

"S-Sleep? So nothing happened?"

"Of course. Now, let me get to the point," Senpai glances down on my whole body. "how are you feeling?"

I move my hands to feel around my body.

"I'm fine, I gues—Gakh!"

I was cut off as I felt around my back, I felt as if a part of it was painful to touch.

Senpai responded and "Come here" beckoned me, I sit on the bed and she turns me so that my back faces her.

Slightly surprised, my body twitches a bit as her hands slip underneath my armpits.

"What. Would you prefer if I do it or you do it yourself?" With that, I quickly understood Senpai and stood up to face her.

"Yes, I can!"

I undo my dress shirt, revealing a large bruise on my back. I, I don't remember getting this.

"Okay, now sit down."

I sit down on the exact same spot I stood up from.

She hugs me from behind, I feel a slight pain as her front touches my back, since the bruise was there.

But then the pain began to go away, slowly, but surely, I was….healing?

Senpai then sighed.

"Being able to hug like this is really nice."

"Eh?"

I turn to her, and her face turns slightly red.

"I mean, you just have a calming atmosphere around you. Yeah! That's it!"

"I see…"

"Anyway, it's healed now."

I quickly go towards the small mirror placed on one of my desk's shelf. The bruise was indeed gone.

"How did you—?"

"Well, it only worked because we're Devils from the same house, you know?"

.

.

.

Another moment of silence fills the surrounding.

"Eh, Hiro-kun? Are you okay? Hello?"

She begins snapping her fingers in front of my forehead.

I grab her hands.

"Alright, I'm just going to ignore how crazy that statement sounded—"

"But it is true, even after just now you still won't believe me?"

Eh, she's not kidding?

"Are you sure it's not hunger getting to your head? If so, let's go downstairs and eat breakfast, I'm hungry as well."

"I guess you really won't believe me, huh? Maybe I should just reintroduce myself."

She lets her feet touch the floor and sits on the edge of the bed facing me, my face turns red a little, but she angles herself a little so that her thigh covers her private part.

Smiling slightly, she tilts her head a bit.

"My name is Rudori, —Zagan, I am a Devil. A Pureblood-Devil, at that. And you, my servant, are a part of my household."

As she said that, black things emerged from her back. —Black, bat-like wings.

I could only go silent as she smiled, I couldn't get a mutual feeling.

She….—Rudori-senpai, wasn't kidding.

 **Part 6**

"This is really delicious, Hiro-kun's Okaa-sama."

"Thank you, please help yourself. And please, just 'Okaa-sama' is fine."

"I see, then I'll help myself, _Okaa-sama_."

Me and Kaa-san were currently eating breakfast, like we do every other morning.

Like we always do…. Yeah right.

The only addition being a someone to occupy a third seat on the table.

"Hey, your breakfast will get cold, Hiro-kun."

That person being the beauty, Rudori-senpai.

"Ah, right."

Somehow, Senpai and I were able to explain everything to Kaa-san.

Of course, I followed Rudori-senpai's advice not to tell Kaa-san about her.

I still find it hard to believe that the Senpai I looked up to for almost a year, is actually not human. But a 'Devil.'

The person I had lunch with, almost every day, was actually a Devil.

Even with that in mind, I somehow felt at peace knowing it was Rudori-senpai.

"Well, you two better eat your breakfast, or you'll be late for school."

Kaa-san says that, it's her day-off so she'll be staying home.

I still don't see how someone like her actually bought our excuse. —Which was that we were "simply a junior and a senior who are very close to each other."

But I guess Rudori-senpai hit the spot when she said that I had trouble sleeping, so I slept with him.

I guess I really worried Kaa-san, huh.

[Itadakima—]

?

[—eh?]

Both Rudori-senpai and I chuckled a bit at the occurrence, we were almost in perfect sync.

—.

After that, we said our farewells and began heading to school.

I figured it would be a shock to the students, seeing us walking from the same direction.

It…became a bit like that.

"Hiro-kun, with Rudori-oneesama—!? T-That's unfair!"

"H-Hey Murayama, don't cry like that! If you do that….you'll only remind me!"

"Uwaaaah!"

"Who does he think he is to be standing near our goddess?"

"Breathing the same air as Rudori-sama, he must think so highly of himself!"

"Damn Akihiko!"

Various reactions from boys and girls alike were received, I couldn't help but cover my face with my bag.

Then suddenly a hand pulls the bag down.

"You shouldn't feel ashamed. You're walking with _me_. Straighten your posture, raise your chin, and walk with pride."

Rudori-senpai who was walking backwards in front of me said as she fixed my posture, raised my chin and fixed my uniform.

Stopping at the center of the campus, under the tree we usually meet in, she turned to me again.

"I know you have lots of questions. But I also have my hands full myself. Come meet me at the clubroom inside the greenhouse after classes, I'll try to explain everything else."

She says as she rests her hand on my shoulder.

"I promise, but I hope you listen to me."

I glance at her hand a few times, a bit of embarrassment reaches me.

Trying to hide it, I put my hand over my face and scratch the top of my nose a bit.

"Okay, I will."

She smiles and began to walk away, turning slightly to give me a smile.

I stood there, watching as she disappeared into the school building.

HIT!

"Ah! What the—"

"Well well well~ Looks like someone woke up on the right side of the bed this morning~"

I turn to see a familiar brown-haired woman who was smiling from ear to ear.

"I-Izumi-ane?"

She put her hand on my head and began ruffling my hair.

"Looking happy, are we?"

"Huh?"

She continues ruffling my hair.

"Is something wrong?"

Her body twitches as I say that, and a vein poppes on her cheek as her fingers tighten around my dome.

"No no~, nothing's wrong! Who, Who said that? _Huuuuuh_!?"

Her voice suddenly becomes deep, as she lowered her face to my level with a scary expression.

"What exactly happened yesterday, huh? You left off by yourself, and now you're walking with the most popular girl in school, _to_ school."

I wave my hands in front of me to defend myself.

"N-Nothing! Nothing happened, Izumi-ane! Please stop, it hurts!"

I begged, as she wrapped her arms around my neck and began to drill my head with her fist.

"Shut up! I won't stop until you tell me, bastard!"

I tried prying her arms off while screaming.

"Like I said, nothing happened! Nothing! Nothiiiiiiing!"

She growled as she further drilled my head with her fist. It hurt so much!

"Hey, you shouldn't be that harsh to Hiro-kun, you know?"

What appears is a woman with blonde hair and blue eyes carrying a bag with her hand.

"Kiba-san!"

"Kiba?"

She sighs.

"You're her 'big sister', right? You should trust him more."

"B-But I—"

"If you'd like, you can see for yourself. If you look into a person's eye, you'll know that they're telling the truth."

Kiba-san said as she turned and went towards our school building, waving her hand while continuing to walk in the same direction.

I sighed and began following her lead. I didn't want to be stuck in that situation forever, Izumi-ane will kill me!

"Hey, where do you think we're going, we're not done yet!"

"Let's talk about this later, we'll be late if we stay here any further."

"Hey, Hiro! Hiroooo!"

 **Part 7**

After classes, I headed to the greenhouse at the other end of the school grounds opposite to the gate.

It always stood out compared to the other buildings because of it's glass walls causing it to shine a bit.

I visited it before, on an errand from Mana-sensei.

Various plants can be found there, each being cared of to be eventually used for various purposes.

Even the breeds you'd only see on countries outside of Japan are being raised there.

Very few often spend their time there, as not everyone appreciates plants and flowers. Because of that, I mostly spend my time there should I want to be alone.

But like the Occult Research Club of the Old School Building, another place anyone rarely hangs around on, there is also a club beyond the greenhouse.

Connected to the greenhouse is the club building of the Scientific Research Club.

Also a gathering of the people leaning on the more popular side, as well as the club Rudori-senpai found and is a part of.

It is also the club in which Mana-sensei is the advisor.

And today, I was called to that club.

—

Closing the door behind me, I enter the greenhouse.

A greenhouse more massive than any greenhouse, rows of various plants on the ground, some hanging from pots roped to the glass ceiling's metal parts.

The setting sky dyed the room with an orange color.

I walked inward the greenhouse, at the end of the rows stood shelves with gardening tools and tables with Victorian craftsmanship.

At the end of the greenhouse, was a door with the same craftsmanship.

I grabbed the knob and turned it, beyond this was the building itself.

Once again closing a door behind me, I was faced with a room possessing the same Victorian style found on the table, on the furniture and on the room itself in general.

"Oh, you're here."

Finding the source of the voice, I was met by the smile of a girl with indigo-colored hair and matching eyes.

Whoa….

Are you kidding me?

"N-No way, you're Hitomi Hoshimi-san from third year, right?"

She smiles.

"Yes, I guess you can say that."

No way! The school's singing sensation is here! Is she a part of the club?

"Yes, I'm the secretary of Buchou's club. The responsibility of being a vice-president was too much for me, so I had Buchou place me here instead."

After asking her, she replies like that.

So all this time, one of the school's idols were actually a part of this club.

A lot of people look up to her, Hitomi-san.

She was always the one to sing on school festival, she was even scouted and had a shot at being a celebrity. But being a highschool student, she said she had dreams she wanted to pursue, and turned down the offers.

"Oh right, Buchou told me to attend to you until her meeting finishes."

"Meeting?"

"Oh, she didn't say? Well, it was a surprise, so it may take a while. —Please sit down… Tea?"

"Thank you, I'll have some."

A meeting? With who? Hitomi-senpai is here. If it's with club members shouldn't she be included as well?

While thinking that, I suddenly remember what Senpai said this morning.

—I have my hands full as well—

I held my palm over my face. How inconsiderate of me, so Senpai was busy after all.

"Here."

"Thank you."

I receive the cup of tea from Hitomi-senpai.

An idol is serving me tea, this is definitely the first time it happened.

After a while, it was just me and Hitomi-senpai in the room. Repeatedly asking for tea, I began to wonder what the meeting exactly was about that it took so long.

Looking outside, it was already getting late.

"Hitomi-senpai, where is everyone?"

I asked. With her usual smile, she spoke.

"They're on their errands, right now."

"So Rudori-senpai is alone by herself with whoever she is meeting?"

"Yes, she is. But don't worry, they're pretty acquainted so nothing too bad will happen."

I took another sip of the tea.

Staying there, sitting, with only the ticking of the clock being heard in the background, I felt a mix of boredom, embarrassment, impatience, and worry get to me.

Boredom, given there was nothing to do. Embarrassment, because there was an idol who just spent time looking at me with that smile of hers. Impatience, because it's already been an hour, which causes me to mentally punch myself in the face since I know that Senpai must be busy. Worry, because Kaa-san would kill me if I come home late, and Izumi-ane will get mad at me again for not walking with her. The latter being inevitable, considering I stayed here after classes.

"I'll go and get some more tea."

Grabbing the cups and the pot, she places them on a single plate which she in turn places on a tray, and walks away to a different room.

While waiting, I couldn't help but notice the stairs going up on a certain part of the room.

Looking for any signs of Hitomi-senpai to return any soon, I decided to check things out a bit. If I'm lucky, I can stumble into Rudori-senpai and tell her that we can do this again tomorrow or some other time, any time that she isn't busy.

While thinking that, I went up the stairs and arrived to the hallway of the second floor. At the end of the hallway was a room with a bit of light leaking from the door, and a couple of noises I couldn't make out coming from the other side.

Curious, I walked forward. Maybe this is where the meeting is taking place?

As I went in front of the door, I managed to make out the voices from inside it.

[—Disappointing. Trully disappointing. This has been the fourth time the Stray Devil Viser got away from you, Rudori.]

[Calm down, Sona. I'm not like you, or Rias, I have reasons.]

[She's right, we have to hear her out first before we start saying things.]

I manage to make out some words.

That word again, —Stray Devil.

Wait, Rias? Sona?

Rias—Rias Gremory-senpai?

Sona—Souna Shitori-senpai?

Are those two in the room with Rudori-senpai?

As discreet as I could be, I opened the door ever so slightly so that I can see inside, but not so much so I can be seen myself.

Like any other president's office, it had a single desk at the side of the room opposite from the door. Behind it was a wall of glass which revealed the dark sky with the sun setting outside the academy. So this is what a view from the building at the edge of the academy looks like.

Sitting down on the desk which also had her witch hat placed on it, was Rudori-senpai with her hands clasped together on the desk.

Standing in front of the desk, were four figures.

"Fine. It's just that I fear for this school's safety. The Archduke and Lyon has already warned us, that Stray Devils are converging from other areas into this town. If they attack this school, the casualties will…."

"Not if we can help it. I know it's troublesome. On top of that, Viser's the one rousing them all up. Encouraging them to kill the Duke, Prince, and Great King in this institution. But I really did try, Viser isn't the type I can take on my own."

Rudori-senpai sighs, lowering her head, her face shifting into a weary and sad one.

"On top of that…. She forced me to drag someone completely uninvolved in all this, _into_ all of this."

Two of the four figures, the other two giving off the feeling of escorts, froze.

"That as well. Not only did you let her get away another time, you also dragged an innocent student into all this."

One of the figure's words caused Rudori-senpai to hold her forehead with her fists.

"Sona—!"

"I'm only stating the truth, Rias."

"I know, but still—"

"Someone had to say that to her, eventually."

Rudori-senpai nodded, raising her head.

"She's right, Rias. I should be the older one, yet here you are, you two, lecturing me about my decisions. Maybe it wasn't right to drag Hiro-kun into this world of ours. But you tell me this. —What would you do if the person that is important to you, the one who sees you as you, is dying in front of you. Knowing full well you have the power to _save_ them— _what_ would you do?"

Once again, silence filled the room.

I began to feel terrible for peeping.

"What we should focus on is the risk of an attack in Kuoh Academy."

"It's not a risk, the last one we killed said that they will indeed attack this institute. This academy we all go to. If they attack in the day, many will die."

"With our manpower, we might be able to pull it off. But if we're taken by surprise. Even if us, the Student Council is present, along with your families, I don't think there would be a chance we'd win."

Rudori-senpai sighed.

"Atleast we got warned, so we took the key members of the ones being roused by Viser quickly. Lyon really is a day-saver."

"Yeah, you're right Rias. This is really troublesome, but I'll leave the planning to come up with countermeasures to you, Sona. I'll deal with my own problems."

"Already on it, don't worry."

Rudori-senpai nodded.

"Oh, and, for all it's worth? —I'm sorry. I guess, the stress is just getting to me."

"Don't worry, Sona. This is an Ultimate-class candidate you're with. Me, along with Rias and you? We'll definitely be able to pull through and overcome this."

The tension seemed to disappear.

"Let's continue this tomorrow, Hiro-kun's probably waiting downstairs."

[Okay.]

The figures then turned, I tensed a bit.

Attempting to escape so they won't see me when they leave, I trip over while trying to stand up.

Crashing onto the door and falling forward, I felt a bit dizzy as I used my arms to stand up.

"—Ah!"

As my vision became clear, I quickly noticed the glint of the sharp blade pointed to me. More specifically, my chin.

It appeared like a curved blade attached to a handle. Following the handle, I eventually found odd colored eyes. The left one being violet, and the right being light brown, on top of that they were covered by the lenses of blue semi-rimmed glasses.

Wait, she seems familiar—?

"Tsubaki, that's—"

Rudori-senpai gets up from her desk, and the rest of the figures became clear to me.

It really was Gremory-senpai and Shitori-senpai!

"U-Umm…"

"What are you doing here?"

Rudori-senpai questioned me, the miss who was holding the long handled blade—naginata, I mean, withdrew her hand.

"I was just about to tell you that it's getting late, and if you'd like, we can do this tomorrow."

"What? I told you to wait, so why didn't you—"

Senpai was cut-off was Shitori-senpai cleared her throat.

"Rudori, would you mind?"

Rudori-senpai sighs and stands up.

"Fine—. These are my friends, Rias Gremory,"

Rias-senpai waves slightly.

"Sona Sitri,"

Souna-senpai bows slightly, I bow back.

"Akeno Himejima,"

Wait what—?

Another idol, I bow back after she lowers her head slightly.

"and Tsubaki Shinra."

The miss who previously had a blade to my neck bowed as well, I returned it.

"Like me, they're—hnn, I guess it's too soon, huh?"

Senpai suddenly rubs her chin.

"You'll have to explain it to him eventually, anyway."

Shitori-senpai says that.

"I know that—"

"Explain what, Rudori-senpai?"

I ask her that, she turns to me and averts her gaze down.

"Everything."

 **Part 8**

I was currently sitting down on a chair in front of Rudori-senpai's desk, my other Senpais sitting in seats adjacent to the door and watching us.

"Hiro, I am a Devil. An Ultimate-class candidate at that."

"Y-You already said that this morning."

"I reincarnated you into my servant, and you were reborn as a Devil."

"Huh?"

She clasps her hands together and places them on the table.

"You're a Devil, Hiro. You died protecting me, so I brought you back. But you were a Devil this time."

"I'm confused, Senpai."

She sighs and averts her gaze away once again, she brought forth a strangely shaped object. It had a checkered black and white pattern on it, like what you'd find in a chess board.

With a snap of her finger, which discharged a bit of lime-colored energy from her fingers, pieces began to appear forming three sides on the chess board. One side colored black, the rest colored white and red.

So such a thing exists?

"I'm sure you know of the three Biblical factions, right, Hiro-kun?"

I nod at Senpai.

"I see. Then listen closely."

I fix my seat.

"Many years ago, before you and I were even born. There were three factions of the Biblical religion living in separate worlds."

Senpai pointed to each group of pieces divided by color.

"The Devils—us, who lived in the Underworld. The Angels, who lived in Heaven and served God. And the Fallen Angels, Angels who were cast out because of their impure thoughts and/or opposition to God's teachings."

She referred to each pieces. The Devils red, the Angels white, and the Fallen Angels black.

"Then, war broke out between the Devils and the Fallen Angels, both the inhabitants fighting for control over the Underworld."

Senpai continued.

"As the war began to affect the human world, God decided to send the Angels to exterminate both creatures. Resulting in a bigger war, that eventually caused the leaders of each side to step in."

"Leaders?"

"Yes, the Devil Kings spearheaded by the Devil God Satan, the God of the Bible and his Seraphs, and Azazel of the Fallen Angels with the other leaders of the Fallen Angels."

My eyes quickly found the pieces found behind the Pawns, the special pieces that could change the tide of a game of chess.

"Eventually, the war ended, resulting in a tragic aftermath. That being, the factions losing both number _and_ power alike. The Devils losing their Devil Kings and Devil God, the Angels losing their God, and the Fallen Angels suffering the most loss out of all the factions. Only having leaders left, and so little infantry remaining."

Senpai snapped her fingers, and the white King piece disappeared, all the red pieces except the Pawns disappeared, and all of the black Pawn pieces disappeared.

"Each faction came up with ways to increase their numbers. The Fallen Angels mated with humans, the Devils developed a system to turn other races into Devils. The Angels, however, couldn't increase their numbers as God wasn't around anymore to create more Angels."

Senpai raised her hand, a single red piece in her hand, a Knight piece.

"This system, —Evil Piece— is what I used to bring you back to life. After the Stray Devil Viser killed you, I had no choice."

Senpai snapped her fingers, and the chessboard along with it's pieces disappeared, the piece she held also disappeared.

A new chessboard was instead placed on the table, a regular shaped one with a few red, crystalline pieces.

"Every High-class Devil in the Underworld, either by blood or by recognition, is given a set of these—Evil Pieces. They are then able to use it to reincarnate a group of people called a 'peerage.' I used one of my 'Pieces' to bring you back to life, but as a Devil. You came back as a Devil of mine, my Devil servant."

She holds the Knight piece, it gave a slight glow and I suddenly heard my heartbeat.

"So I really died?"

"Yes. You were killed by a Stray Devil."

I gave her a puzzling look, she sighed.

"Like this, there are also some servants who don't get along with their masters. They become hungry for power and eventually end up disobeying, hurting, or even killing their own master. They are then asked to be put down by the Devil who owns the territory they escaped to, since simply running away can also brand you as a Stray, running away being an act of disobedience."

Her eyes turn into glaring pairs.

"The one who was responsible for killing you, Viser, is a Stray Devil."

So it wasn't a dream. And the monster I kept seeing again and again, was called Viser.

"I, I'm sorry."

Senpai apologized while lowering her head.

"During the fight with Viser, if I had been more careful, maybe you wouldn't have been involved. Even I let my guard down and was almost killed, if you weren't there, I wouldn't have..."

"N-No! Don't blame yourself!"

I stand up and also bow my head.

"If I didn't stick my nose into your business and decided to follow you into that park, I wouldn't have distracted you and almost got you killed! Thinking you'd be in danger walking alone so late, I quickly assumed it was like that. I never should have! I was too careless and curious, I'm sorry, Senpai!"

I clenched, preparing myself for painful words, as well as pain itself.

While expecting that, I slowly raised my head and looked up to Senpai. Who had an expression of disbelief.

"Well, I guess nobody was expecting that."

And so I heard someone in the room say that.

Senpai regained her composure and cleared her throat, I glanced at everyone in the room and they had their own variations of shocked reactions.

Wait, was what I did really that surprising?

"So even after all of that, you still blame yourself for everything?"

"A bit, yes. It is true that if I haven't followed you that night, maybe things would've been better. Going after such a monster, it must've been for something important, right?"

Senpai nodded.

"Yes. Viser is the pivotal figure of the band of Stray Devils that came into this town. Even now the group goes bigger as she rouses even more attention of those seeking revenge on their masters. In some way, she is the leader of the group, but not in a way you'd see her commanding them. Killing her there would've weakened the group enough for them to be eliminated easily. But now, their morale increased after seeing the one who gathered them stand toe-to-toe with an Ultimate-class candidate. They are now threatening to attack this academy, and whether it will be day or night we don't know."

Senpai placed her hand on mine.

"But still, don't blame yourself, I atleast am also at fault. You're the one who died, and you saved me during your last moments, so I saved you. You shouldn't be the one feeling sorry, I'm the one who dragged you into this after all."

"Save you? —How?"

"Well, you see—"

—GACHAN!

As she was about to finish, the door slams open abruptly.

"Kaichou!"

A man with short blonde hair appears through, tired and squatting with a single hand on the door he came through.

"What is it, Saji?"

Shitori-senpai seems to know him?

"They're here, the Stray Devils! I came here as fast as I could to relay the message from the others!"

"I see. Looks like it's time, Rias, Rudori."

Gremory-senpai nods.

"Let's go, Akeno."

Himejima-senpai also nodded.

What is going on?

"I guess it can't be helped. Looks like I'll have to show things to you, first hand."

Senpai says that while standing up and picking up her witch hat from her desk, she puts it on her head with one hand, and looks at me.

"—Let me show you how Devils fight."

While saying that, her eyes flash and black wings sprout from her back.

Looks like whatever I've gotten myself in, it's about to get deeper.


	3. V0L2

**Highschool E×C:Volume 0**

* * *

 **Life.2 I Start as a Devil**

* * *

 **Part 1**

"Maybe it's about time you meet the rest of the group."

Rudori-senpai says as she heads down the stairs from her office with me following her. Rias-senpai and Shitori-senpai had already left to prepare on their own.

Like the blonde-haired guy, Saji-san had said earlier, the Stray Devils were about to attack.

We arrive at the room I was in before, but instead of just Hitomi-senpai, there were some people I didn't know.

"Ah, Buchou. We're done preparing for the Str—"

"Hiro-kun is here, be quiet!"

A woman with raven-colored hair tied to a ponytail by a red ribbon tried to speak, but a girl with long blue hair stopped her.

"Don't worry, he knows. No need to hide it now."

Rudori-senpai said.

Looking around, there was Hitomi-senpai, a girl with long white hair hiding behind her, a girl with raven hair and a girl with blue hair who wore a sweater over her uniform.

"Alright, let me introduce you to everyone."

Senpai then holds me shoulder and pulls me forward.

"This is Aoi Kimiko, my 'Pawn'."

I shake hands with the blue-haired. Aoi-san.

"Hello."

"It's nice to meet you, Hiro-kun! Er… —Hahahaha!"

She scratches her head with her other hand.

"This is Mizuki, my 'Rook'."

I reach my hand out to the raven-haired girl. She looks at my hand, and then reaches a fist out instead while smiling.

After bumping fists with her, she shows her teeth.

"Nice to meet you, Hiro-kun."

I smile back nervously.

"And this here is Yukino, my Bishop."

I quickly recognize the silvery-white haired girl who was hiding behind Hitomi-senpai before.

"H-H-Hi….."

She reaches out her shaking hand. With a single bead of sweat going down the side of my head, I grab her hand and shake it.

—!

Cold, it's cold.

I gasp slightly and stare at her still shaking hand, it was soft but it was also cold.

The temperature my hand was touching began to drop, until the chill began to spread to my arm.

"U-Umm…. C-Can I have my hand back?"

She asks, another hand on her chest with an expression of fear on her face.

—!

Quickly realizing how much I screwed up, I pulled my hand back.

"S-Sorry! I did it without thinking!"

"I-I-It's okay!"

She also panics. Meanwhile, Hitomi-senpai and Rudori-senpai giggle in the background.

"H-Hey!"

"Looks like Yukino-chan and Hiro-kun are getting along well."

"Yeah, I agree."

They continue giggling.

Hey! Stop it!

Come to think of it, Senpai referred to them as chess pieces, along with their names.

While thinking that, Senpai grabs my shoulders.

"Everyone, this is Akihiko Hiro-kun. A new addition to our group, he's a Knight. I hope you all get along with him."

[Yes, Buchou.]

I guess I'll find out what she means, later.

"Then it's true, you're all Devils?"

I asked.

They looked at me like I'm the only person in the room who doesn't know about anything.

"Wait, didn't Buchou tell you?"

The blue-haired, Aoi-san asked.

"Well… umm…"

"Hey, it was also hard to believe the first time around. But you'll get used to it, Hiro-san!"

After saying that, black bat-like wings appeared from everyone's backs.

I sighed a bit, but then a weird sensation also came from my back.

Turning slightly, I quickly found that I also had wings.

Everyone…. They weren't kidding. I really am a Devil.

"Well, we better hurry and not keep Rias and Sona waiting."

[Yes, Buchou!]

Everyone replies with enthusiasm, she turns to me.

"I'll explain everything else later, for now—don't die."

After she says that, she receives her hat from Hitomi-senpai and leaves through the door. Everyone follows behind her, I as well.

This feeling. Is it excitement, or fear?

 **Part 2**

I found myself standing by the school gate, along with some other people.

These were Rudori-senpai's, Rias-senpai's, and Shitori-senpai's groups.

Among those belonging in Rias-senpai's group, I meet eyes with a familiar blonde.

"Kiba-san?"

"Hiro-kun?"

She walks over to me.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm a part of Rudori-senpai's 'peerage', so I followed her here."

Kiba-san gasps.

"—Are you her new Knight?"

She asks with urgency.

"Y-Yeah, you can say that. She did refer to me as her Knight, before."

Kiba-san has a face of shock and awe.

"I see. I always heard she found a new member to her peerage, but I didn't expect it to be you."

So all this time, Kiba-san was also a Devil, huh?

"It must've been shocking for you, huh? Knowing that most of the people around you were actually not human."

I sighed.

"Yes, it was a bit shocking. But after realizing that, despite being Devils—supposedly beings of evil intent. Everyone, you were so nice to me, everyone was so nice to me. So I thought it was fine, although it's a bit confusing."

She laughs with her nose a bit.

"Fufu, I guess I shouldn't have expected less from you, Hiro-kun. If even the first bit of being a Devil is confusing for you,"

She goes back to her group.

"then you're in for a ride."

She says as she rejoins her group.

In front of everyone, Shitori-senpai appears.

"Is this everyone?"

She asks.

"Yes, Kaichou. The Student Council, as well as the Occult and Scientific Research Club members are here."

A glasses onee-san from her group speaks, Shitori-senpai—I mean, Kaichou nods.

She faces everyone and clears her throat.

"I'm sure all of you have been briefed by your respective 'Kings' about this. But let me say it once more. In case anyone of you is wondering what is going on, we are currently responding on a threat of attack from Stray Devils. Just a few hours ago, we received a threat from Viser and her band of Stray Devils. They threatened to attack this academy, Kuoh Academy, the institute in which we all are studying right now."

Everyone has a serious expression on their faces, it felt like this was a prologue to a war story.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

"I simply ask all of you to lend me your strength, your wits, and your cooperation. Help me defend this school we all go to."

I've seen Kaichou give speeches before, like the entrance speech she gave the freshmen when I first came to this school.

But I can agree with her. This school, I definitely want to protect it as well. But if Viser was as powerful as when I first encountered her, I don't know how much I'll be of help.

"—Now if you'd let me, please lend me your strength, everyone!"

[Yes, Kaichou!]

After everyone's responses, she begins to elaborate her plan.

We would separate into groups, one would engage the majority of the Stray Devils. The other, staying behind, would take care of those that get through.

While everyone forms their groups, Rudori-senpai appears at the edge of my vision.

She walks up to me and begins to speak.

"I'm putting you in Sona's group. She, the Student Council, along with with some others from mine and Rias' group, will stay behind. Stay with Sona and away from the fighting."

Wait, what?

I know Kaichou said that she'd stay behind and be issuing orders from there.

But why?

"B-But—"

"No buts, Hiro. For now, stay away from the fighting, and focus on watching. You're not able to fight, at the moment."

"I want to help—"

"Please, I can't have you die."

"Rudori-senpai!"

Everyone stops and looks at us.

"Is everything okay, Rudori?"

Kaichou asks, Rudori-senpai nods.

After everyone's attention wasn't towards us anymore, Senpai faced me again.

"If you really want to help. Then let me tell you this. You have a power, a power that can be unlocked by desire. It was what you used to save me from Viser before."

She grabs my hand, and holds it between hers.

"If you really desire to help. In the time of need, it will definitely activate again."

She then says it.

"—Sacred Gear, that is your—Hiro Akihiko's trump card."

DOKUN!

She lets go of my hand, and walks towards her group.

"Be careful, Hiro."

I turn behind me and my eyes met with Kaichou's, she nods. In response to it, I run towards her group.

 **Part 3**

Kuoh Town, nighttime. I was currently in a group with Kaichou and the student council, as well as Mizuki-san and Aoi-san.

"I see. I understand Rudori's intentions. If I was in her place, I'd have done the same thing. In fact, it's beneficial for you to watch from a distance rather than experience a fight straight on. But since the Sacred Gear Rudori saw in you is quite powerful itself, I might be wrong."

I was currently walking ahead of the group beside Kaichou.

She agrees with Rudori-senpai's opinion. But still, I feel a bit bad not being able to help directly.

Thinking about it, Kaichou and Rudori-senpai are both right. I don't have any ability to fight at all.

Kaichou raises her hand, demanding a moment. Everyone stops walking.

A phenomenon appears before me. As a _magic-circle_ appeared on top of her palm, she kneels down on one knee and waves her hand to the ground.

After the small magic-circle touched the ground, it grew in size and separated into two slightly larger magic-circles with the same pale-blue glow.

Holographic images began to appear on it, eventually forming two small images of both Rudori-senpai and Rias-senpai.

[We've arrived where Viser was last seen. But the place looks deserted, abandoned even.]

Rudori-senpai said that.

[Nothing has occurred so far, how about you over there Sona?]

"Same. This is really weird."

I look around. It was dark and quiet, and I dare say it, peaceful.

Suddenly I felt a cold feeling throughout my body. I know it was night, and the breeze is supposed to be cold. But it wasn't that windy.

And this chill. It spread from my spine and then throughout my whole body.

It didn't feel like a regular chill. Like a premonition.

"Well, we're almost finished going around the academy. And we've nothing so far, so we might as well make another patrol around it."

[Got it.]

[Good luck Sona, be careful.]

Kaichou moves her hand sidewards and the circles with Rias-senpai and Rudori-senpai's holographic images disappeared.

She stands up, turning to the rest of us.

"Let's move, everyone."

And like that, we continued moving around the academy. It was huge so it was taking quite some time patrolling around it.

I still had a bad feeling about things. But I tried to shrug it off, as not to lower my guard by it.

Then suddenly Kaichou stopped, looking at us with one eye as she turned slightly and raised her hand. We all froze, my guard is probably the highest it's ever been.

I met eyes with Kaichou, and we exchanged a silent conversation.

She probably felt it as well.

Something's not right. The surroundings suddenly became too quiet, up to the point that we could hear each other's breaths.

"—Above us!"

I turn to see Saji-san. Following his eyes, I found a single silhouette bathing in the moon's light as it was high in the air.

Then two more appeared in the sky, once again bathing in the moonlight.

It happened too fast. The next thing I know, the silhouette that was in the air before landed in front of me and Kaichou. There was also some distance but I could make out their appearance.

There were three robed men with bandages on the parts of their bodies not covered by their tattered robes. They were holding dagger-like weapons and were all kneeling on one knee with a single hand on the ground.

Looking at them clearly, they had bat like wings spread out from their backs.

While shouting a battle cry, they quickly leap towards our group. I quickly close my eyes as I raised both arms to defend myself.

"—Guhah!"

When I opened them, I found Kaichou with her hand pointed towards the robed assailant.

"There's more of them!"

After I heard someone say it, I quickly looked around to see more enemies emerging.

Kaichou's group was somehow able to retaliate.

The two robed men proceeded and appeared in front of me, their daggers raised.

[I won't let you!]

While hearing a slight crackling sound, I then hear a sound of flesh being pierced.

—!

I open my eyes to find Aoi-san with her fist buried on the robed man's body and Mizuki-san with her weapon—a broadsword buried on the other's body.

Aoi-san pushes her fist forward while having it covered in azure-colored electricity, causing the man to be pushed back and be burned by the electricity. Mizuki-san tightens the grip on the handle of her broadsword, and proceeds to toss the man away with her blade.

"Stay behind us, Hiro-san!"

"We won't let anyone get close to Hiro-kun!"

Aoi-san raises her fists, and Mizuki-san holds her broadsword with both hands as it's tip pointed upward.

Turning behind me, everyone was fighting the almost endless waves of enemies that suddenly appeared.

"Tsubaki, cover me!"

Kaichou shouts, and a glasses woman with long black hair runs towards her. She held a naginata and manifested another magic-circle with her free hand. This one seemed to be the defense-type variation, as it repelled attacks that were meant for her and Kaichou.

I then looked towards Kaichou. She was trying to summon the same circle she summoned before. But it kept blinking as it appeared on the ground and eventually faded.

"It's useless, there's a special barrier placed here that disables communication between those inside it and those outside it."

Everyone gets shocked at the voice. As most of the Stray Devils were defeated, everyone's attention was directed to the source of the voice.

"Give it up, Sitri."

Kaichou, me, and everyone looks forward to see a man with silver hair and eyes. He wore a white multiple-layered robe with black accents.

He began walking towards us.

"Who are you?"

Kaichou asks. I began to feel something emanating from the man.

An aura of supremacy outlining his figure as it approached us.

"I am no one. But honestly, I was expecting to catch all three of you at once. But it seems I'll have to make do with you, heiress of the house of Sitri—Sona Sitri."

After he finishes speaking, I suddenly feel immense pressure coming from the man.

"This aura. H-High-class! No, it's an Ultimate-class Devil's aura!"

Kaichou shouts.

Ultimate-class. I don't know what it means, but it must be a classification for a powerful Devil!

"I wonder…. If I kill you here, would Serafall come out?"

He questions while pointing a finger towards Kaichou.

"There won't be any need for that."

The man then sighs.

"I guess it can't be helped. Maybe I should find out for myself—"

In a single moment, two protrusions emerged from the man's back.

Gray-colored wings with it's feathers made of light colored violet and was glowing brightly.

"A Sacred Gear—!"

The man dashes forward with his wings spread.

Mizuki-san and Aoi-san quickly respond and try to land their attacks. The man blocks Mizuki-san's broadsword and holds it with his index finger and thumb, he also blocks Aoi-san's fist using his palm which instantly caused the electricity covering it to disappear. Both Mizuki-san and Aoi-san disappeared.

"You fakes shouldn't meddle in affairs that doesn't concern you."

With slight effort, he manages to send both of them flying in opposite directions. They look like they were inflicted heavy injuries right away!

Glancing at both Mizuki-san and Aoi-san, he smiles and makes a noise with his nose while brushing off his shoulders.

From behind me and Kaichou, her group also charged at the man.

Tsubaki-senpai tried to hit him with her naginata, but he simply moves left and right to dodge her blows before spreading his light wings again to block the weapon and sending a kick towards her stomach.

He deals with the rest of her group like he was swatting flies, and they were sent flying one after the other.

The blonde-haired guy, Saji-san. He attempted to attack as well. A strange object appears on his hand.

A deformed lizard face.

"Line, stretch—!"

The mouth opens and release a dull-colored line from it, and it extends towards the man. He responds and raises his arm, as if letting the line wrap around it.

"Gotcha!"

The man smirked as Saji-san tried to pull.

"A Vritra-type, huh? Well, while you do have potential—"

He ties the line around further by moving his arm, and pulls with little effort, causing Saji-san to be sent flying towards him.

DON!

His fist met cleanly with his stomach, causing Saji-san to cough up blood.

"—you simply lack the strength. Being a fake Devil and all…"

He looks around. I also follow his eyes.

Everyone…. Everyone was defeated easily. Even Kaichou looked devastated, to the point that she could only stand with her mouth open and her eyes widened.

My knees also gave in.

So this is what a battle is.

"Is this really all you can do, for your 'master'?"

The man asked, glancing at the downed servants of Kaichou.

Saji-san, while holding his stomach and wiping blood off his mouth, stood up while leaning on the wall.

The members of Kaichou's group began to stand up one by one.

"Are you kidding…?"

"This is nothing…"

"If you really want to kill Kaichou…."

"I definitely won't let you kill her…!"

Everyone speaks up and stands up.

"That's right, we'll put you down. Even if it costs our lives!"

Tsubaki-senpai shouts and stands up, pointing her palm manifesting a magic-circle towards the silver-haired.

Everyone attacks him, he begins to dodge them with slight movements.

He raises an arm and blocks Mizuki-san's blade with the most perfect timing possible.

"We'll also fight!"

"Hmph, well then."

He grabs the broadsword and sends a punch to her chest, knocking her back.

Turning to another direction, he arcs his back to dodge Aoi-san's fist and use her own momentum to toss her.

Saji-san also tries to attack, tossing his line forward and using it as a grapple that pulled him towards the man. He tried to launch a kick, but it was blocked and he was sent spinning instead.

As the rest of Kaichou's servants were about to attack him, he spreads his wings and the feathers made of light glowed.

[Divide!]

Everyone quickly froze. Some of Kaichou's servants staggered and stopped charging. As if their body was drained of energy at that instant.

"K-Kuh, this is—!"

Saji-san who was on the ground also looked like he didn't have the power to stand up anymore.

[Divide!]

Every one of Kaichou's servants who formed a circle around him fell on one knee.

The man smirks slightly.

[Divide!]

As the voice coming from the wings announces that, everyone was lying down again. Powerless.

Just how strong is he?

 **Part 4**

"Is this all the power I can get from all of you? Pathetic."

He says in an unsatisfied tone, as if he was disappointed.

Everyone was still unconscious, and only me, Kaichou, and the man were left standing.

He then sets his sights back to Kaichou.

"Go, Hiro-kun."

I see Kaichou turning slightly again.

"Maybe it's true that the barrier restricts communication, but maybe you can still escape. I'll hold him off, you tell Rudori and Rias about this."

What are you saying, Kaichou….

"Hurry, now!"

Kaichou says while pointing both hands in front of her. Generating multiple layers of large-sized defense-purpose magic-circles in front of her.

"You may try… But once I'm done with you, that boy's next!"

The man shouts as he launches a sideward kick towards Kaichou, easily breaking the circles and knocking her back.

She recovers and summons another magic-circle on her palms, firing a strong surge of water from her palms which the man easily blocked with his wings.

The man slowly approaches her. Kaichou tries to defend herself with another magic-circle, but the silver-haired easily broke through it and grabbed her by the neck.

While unfolding his wings, he raises her from the ground. Kaichou tries to struggle.

"You know, less people could've been hurt if you surrendered yourself from the start."

"K-Kuh—!"

Kaichou struggles further, the man narrows his eyes and throws her to the side. Kaichou's body hit the cement wall, and her crooked glasses fell on the floor near her.

She had a bit of blood flowing from the side of her mouth.

The man glances at me, and then walks over to Kaichou.

"Now, beg for mercy? Or cry out your sister's name?"

A white magic-circle appears on his palm, and a white sphere began to be charged at it's center.

Kaichou, tries to raise her upper body, and looks at me.

"What are you waiting for…. R-Run…..!"

I shake my head, I was still on my knees.

"Hiro-kun, if you don't…."

"Shut up—"

The man mercilessly kicks her in the stomach, causing her to curl up as she cries out.

No….

I hold my chest in response. I felt a warmth coming from within, like a scorching flame was beginning to light from within me.

I grit my teeth, standing up.

"No…"

The man turns to me, a puzzled expression on his face.

That's right. I'm tired….

I'm tired of standing here, feeling like I'm not able to do anything.

I look at my hand, and clench it into a fist.

"I won't run awaaaaayyy!"

I charge towards him, pulling my fist back.

He points his hand pointed towards Kaichou to me instead, and the ball of white light fired a single white beam from it.

I, being the obvious target I was, was hit directly in the torso. It burned a small hole in my chest. And before I could look up, more white-colored beams pierced my torso leaving more holes.

"It didn't have to come to this, you know? Your foolishness had you killed."

While coughing up blood, I fell on my back. My body made a miserable sound as it hit the ground behind me, and my vision began to darken.

I resisted my eyelids that slowly grew heavier and heavier by the moment.

Damn it. It's just like back then during that time with that winged girl.

I'm lying on the ground, all bloodied and wounded.

Why am I so weak?

[Weak? Wow, I've never had someone possess me put themselves so low like this.]

Huh?

A voice?

I suddenly hear a voice inside my head.

Am I going crazy because I'm dying?

[Wow, that's a bit…. Fine, looks like I have no choice.]

The voice sighs. It was feminine and also sounded quite young.

Then, from the edge of my vision. A white object appears.

I widen my eyes to see a little girl giving off a shiny radiance from her body.

The girl then squatted with her hands on her thighs.

[Looks like I'll have to give you a little push.]

It was a girl with violet silver hair and blue eyes. She wore a white dress with a futuristic appearance and black accents which takes the pattern of a cross on the chest part of her dress, it also had bluish white frills on the dress' interior.

She reaches her hand forward, it was also giving off the same radiance. As if her whole body shone.

[What do you say, boy?]

I raise my bloody hand, intent on grabbing hers.

My vision got covered in white light as I grabbed her hand.

—

What?

 **Part 5**

As my vision returns, I was greeted by the night sky.

My eyes weren't as heavy as before.

I felt around my body… My wounds were gone!

Sitting up, I realized that I felt fine.

Kaichou was still down on the ground, and the man was holding his ear with a small magic-circle on it.

I stood up.

I also began to feel a strange sensation on my right arm.

That's right, I still had to defeat this man. For Kaichou, for everyone!

The fire from my chest began to burn further, I began to feel lighter and lighter.

This feeling…. This is…

[Determination.]

It's the voice again?

[Your master already told you before, right? That you have a power within you that gets stronger with desire.]

I look down on myself. I raise my arm to face level and clenched both my fists.

—Desire.

This power within me, it activates if I desire it to.

I remember, it was able to save Rudori-senpai. It should be able to save Kaichou and help be defeat this man.

Then…

If you're there, then please respond to me.

If you're a power within me, then let me wield you!

SHIIIIINE!

"Uwaaah—!"

My right arm began to glow, even it's part underneath my sleeve began to glow, until it shone into a pure white radiance that covered my arm up to my shoulder.

At that time it was Rudori-senpai, but now it's Kaichou who is in danger!

[Tracer, on!]

The light explodes into particles, finally exposing my arm which was clad in navy-blue colored armor.

My eyes widened.

Goooo…..

While making a sound of an engine starting up, the circuits of the armor began to fire up while crackling with a slight electricity.

Information began to enter my brain at a rapid rate.

Yes, this is it.

I know how to use this power now.

I can defeat this man.

I can save them—.

 **Part 6**

After the man nods a few times, responding with his nose to whoever was communicating with him, he removes his hand from his ear which causes the magic-circle to disappear.

He once again points his palm towards the bob-cut haired woman on the ground, Sona Sitri.

"Now, where were we…?"

A magic-circle once again appears on his palm, and he began to generate another ball of white light.

"Goodbye, Sitri—"

"Gaaah!"

He turns too late as a shout echoes to the surroundings. The man turned to see a brown haired boy with red eyes, his left eye having a light-blue colored glow over it leaving a trail as the boy charged towards him.

His arm was covered in navy-blue colored gauntlet covering his whole arm which in turn had light-blue colored circuits going along it's armor. His forearm was being propelled as his elbow gave off radiant azure flames, propelling his fist forward and amplifying the strength of his punch.

"What—"

DON!

The hit reverberated on the surroundings, and the man was in shock as the metal fist hit his chest.

"Impossible! Gakh—!"

He attempted to block with his wings, but the armor shattered it's light feathers. Allowing the punch to hit him dead center.

The man recovered and put his hand on the ground to regain balance, he turned and glanced at the broken feathers of his wings, appearing like broken glass.

"Why you—"

He reaches his hand forward, releasing a rapid-fire barrage of light bullets.

"I won't let you!"

The brown-haired boy positions his arm in front of him in defense, responding to the man's attacks. The circuits on the armor outlined an oval-shaped piece on the side of his forearm facing the front.

GIIIN!

While making a sound, the oval has a cross traced from it's center separating it into four parts.

GOOON!

The oval's parts then expanded outwards and formed a shield made of pure energy between them. The rectangular structure appeared adjacent to his arm, and perfectly blocks all the light bullets before shattering on the last bullet.

GIN!

The oval piece reattaches itself and untraces the cross which divided it before it returned as a piece of his armor.

"What!?"

The silver-haired man shouts with a hint of frustration in his tone. He launches another attack, but the brown-haired boy dodges it with the slightest movement.

While pulling his fist back, the boy spread his palm and the wind began to gather on it. A sphere slowly formed on it, being black with a light blue colored outline. As it began to grow in size, the intensity of it's aura also increased.

As it reached the size of a softball, the brown-haired boy clenched his hand into a fist once again.

He then punched the sphere forward while shouting. The silver-haired man could only stand still.

"—Dragon Shot!"

GOOOOOOOON!

The beam fired forward, it's pitch-black color being outlined by a light bluish-green color. It also left a glow of the same color to the surroundings as it headed towards the man.

He erected another circle, a defense-purpose magic-circle.

GIIINNNN!

The attack made loud sounds as it collided with the circle, causing it to shake and slowly crack. Eventually the attack reached it's limit and ended, the beam disappeared and the circle was left cracked with some parts of the equation broken.

But even with no signs of damage, the silver-haired man himself was shaking slightly. His wings that weren't behind the circle was utterly destroyed. But he simply grunted and grew another pair to replace them.

The brown-haired boy's fist was giving off smoke slowly as he breathed.

Frustrated, the man began to fire light desparately. Not caring whether it hit or not.

The boy dodged effortlessly, he spotted his comrades who were almost getting hit by his attacks, and returned his stare onto the robed man.

"I won't let you hurt them!"

The circuits of his arm flashed as a voice from within announced.

[Trace!]

Suddenly the man was clad by a flame-like layer of pitch black and blue, but was transparent enough to still see him inside. He appeared to be suspended in place.

While the man was frozen, he moved quickly and carried everyone who was unconscious and downed at the time to safety.

After putting down the woman with bob-cut styled hair, Sona Sitri, he glances at the man.

"Hiro….-kun?"

The president of the Student Council questions, he simply smiles back with his left eye still giving off a slight blue glow.

He lowers his vision to look at something beneath them for a moment, before he grabs a pair of glasses that she could've sworn was destroyed before.

With both hands, he put them on her head.

The brown-haired then stood up, clenching his fists while they made a metallic sound.

[Break!]

After the voice from within his arm announces that, the man ceases being suspended in place and resumes his assult. Being in shock to find that his enemies he beat up before were now gone around him.

"What?"

The boy then placed his hand on his chest.

[Trace!]

His body began to shine a light-blue color as he dashed forward in unimaginable speeds. Comparable to teleportation, he reappeared in front of the man, and launches his fist upward in front of him. The robed man dodged just in time as he arced his back slightly, the fist brushing slightly with his chin.

The shine on his body disappeared, and his movements began to return to normal.

He leaps back, only to use the chance given to leap forward once again. This time, he leapt in front of the man and had his fist pulled back.

Before his punch could land, the man flies backwards away from him, causing his fist to instead be buried on the ground.

The silver-haired glares down at him from above, and proceeds to fly away while clicking his tongue. The strange appearance the sky had disappeared, signifying that the barrier he previously placed was indeed gone.

The boy proceeded to look up, before his left eye and the circuits on the armor covering his right arm lost their glow, and the sound of something losing power was heard, and he fell on both knees before falling forward.

 **Aftermath**

I open my eyes, I was greeted by a turquoise haired beauty.

"—ro-kun! Hiro-kun! Wake up, Hiro!"

She was shaking me, a hint of worry from her face as she holds my cheek and gently shakes my head.

I know who she is….

—It's Rudori-senpai!

"Senpai…"

She smiles and sighs in relief. Senpai then moves and cradles my head in her lap. Ahh…this relaxing feeling.

While I feel the soft sensation of her lap with the back of my head, I look around to find Rias-senpai and Kaichou.

Kaichou looks like she's healed and has bandages on her body.

What happened? Did Rudori-senpai and Rias-senpai save Kaichou and her group?

"Akihiko Hiro-kun, I would like to express our gratitude for saving us."

After saying that, Kaichou and her group bows.

Huh? Me? Save?

"W-What do you mean, Kaichou?"

I try to sit up slowly.

"Sona here says that you managed to activate your Sacred Gear and save them with it, congratulations."

Rudori-senpai says while resting a hand on my shoulder.

"I don't remember anything."

I say that, but Senpai just sighs.

"It's probably the shock. I heard from Sona that you were suddenly attacked by a man?"

I nodded.

"Yes, a man with silver-hair."

I reply, causing Senpai to rub her chin.

"Looks like an enemy has appeared. I wonder what he has to do with the Stray Devils here?"

"H-How did things go with Viser?"

Senpai frowns.

"She managed to get away again. But I doubt we'll be hearing from her in the future. Most of her group was destroyed, she won't be able to gather that much Stray Devils in a long time."

I see, so Rudori-senpai and Rias-senpai also had a battle.

"Now then, there's a lot of things to do. Some parts of the town was damaged and is need of repairs, so we'll need every help we can get. Are you able, Hiro-kun?"

Rias-senpai asks me, but then Rudori-senpai hisses at her.

"What, I— _Rias_!"

Rias-senpai raises her hands in defense.

"What? I was _asking_!"

I try to calm down Rudori-senpai and stand up with her help.

"It's alright. —I'll help."

Like this, the sun was coming up.

I turned to Senpai, who just smiled back at me, and then to Kaichou and Rias-senpai, who shared the same expression.

So this is the beginning of my life as a Devil, huh?

—.

It's not that bad.

 **Appointment**

The next day. I got a few hours of sleep, and arrived at school early.

Strangely, Kaa-san was gone when I woke up.

So I prepared by myself and somehow managed.

Rudori-senpai had told me to come to her office early before.

I went past the front gates by myself, there really wasn't anyone here yet.

After looking around, I quickly headed towards the greenhouse which was quite far away.

I entered the clubroom and closed the door behind me. I went up the stairs and walked through the hallway leading to the office, atleast I wasn't here to peek anymore.

Having knocked twice, I stood in front of the door for a while before I heard a voice from the other side of the door.

"Come in."

Turning the knob, I pushed it forward and opened the door. I was greeted by the sight of Rudori-senpai's office.

Rudori-senpai and Hitomi-senpai were present, with Rudori-senpai sitting on her desk while Hitomi-senpai stood behind her.

"Ah, there you are."

I turned to my right to see Kaa-san! What is she doing here? Looking over her, Kaichou was standing at the corner of the room.

"K-Kaa-san—I mean, Mana-sensei! What are you doing here?"

Hearing my words, Kaa-san frowns.

"Is that how you greet your mother? Why, I came here because Rudori-san called me here."

She says while patting me on the shoulder.

"How about you, Kaichou? What are you doing here?"

I asked. It's unexpected for the both of them to be here, so this is only natural.

"I only came here to stand witness to your appointment, Hiro-kun."

Appointment?

While I was confused, Kaa-san suddenly blurts out.

"Oh come on, don't act like you don't know. I myself was surprised when Rudori-san told me you wanted to be the vice-president of the club. Being it's advisor, I know the club is missing one member, so I'm proud of you for going out of your way to help Rudori-san who is your friend."

She says while patting me on the head.

A vice-president? What?

I look over to Rudori-senpai, and she just smiles back!

So that's how it is! I fell into her trap!

"Well, then, let's start the ceremony. Shall we?"

Rudori-senpai stands up.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

She smiles apologetically.

It can't be helped then. Kaichou and Mana-sensei are already here, so I don't have a choice but to accept.

I breath in and out before stepping forward.

It's unexpected, but it looks like I'll be the Scientific Research Club's vice-president from now on.


	4. V0L3

**Highschool E×C:Volume 0  
**

* * *

 **Life.3 I meet Everyone!**

* * *

 **Part 1  
**

"—and that's about it."

"Huh? This is really unexpected."

I was currently sitting on a downward slope of grass somewhere in the campus. Beside me was Izumi-ane who was lying on her back with her hands on her head, she had a long face while she looked up to the sky.

"So you won't be able to hang out with me that often from now on?"

"Huh? Of course not, what are you talking about?"

She turns to me, shifting her position and lying on her side with a single hand assisting the side of her head.

BUMP!

"You'll have that position for a year, and maybe the years to follow until you graduate. You'll be busy."

Izumi-ane bumps the green-colored armband near my shoulder, with the words 'vice-president' written on it in white colors.

I sigh. I guess I forgot to take it off after the ceremony. Thinking about it, I must've worn it the whole time during class!

Looking back to Izumi-ane, she has a long face, but then it shifts into a smile before she turns to me.

"Still…. Even if we won't be able to hang out anymore, I'm proud of you. Congratulations on becoming a vice-president—let alone a member, of a club!"

She says while resting her hand on my shoulder. I know this laugh, deep inside, Izumi-ane is sad.

After breathing in and out, I quickly move my body forward and wrap my arms around her. My head only being able to poke out of her shoulder.

"Even if I grow old and get wrinkles, you'll always be my Izumi-ane."

"—Ah!"

Izumi-ane gasps slightly, but then her arms shakingly wrap around my back as well.

After the hug, Izumi-ane turns away with a red face.

Eh? She was also smiling slightly.

"What's wrong, Izumi-ane?"

She then turns to me with a lewd expression.

"Can we do that again~?"

Hey! Hey! We're on school grounds!

I fall on my back and her arms crawl on my body.

"Ufufufufu~ Gotcha now~!"

She begans to move her hands throughout my body.

"Hey—! That tickles! Izumi-ane! Wahahaha!"

I couldn't help but laugh out loud, of course Izumi-ane knows exactly I feel ticklish!

But then it came to me, I looked down to see the usual smile on Izumi-ane's face.

—Will I still be able to live a normal life?

 **Part 2**

I arrive at the clubroom after Rudori-senpai calls me, and to my surprise, everyone was actually there.

"Fukubuchou-san!"

I receive an enthusiastic greeting from Aoi-san who bows, I wave slightly back at her.

"Ah, you're here, Hiro-kun."

Rudori-senpai says it while sipping from her tea.

I sit down opposite to her, beside Aoi-san who was patting the space beside her.

I'm really the only guy here, huh?

"As vice-president, I figured that you should get to know everyone better. As well as learn how things work around here."

Eh?

"Buchou told us that you'd tag along on the errands we're about to do for the next few days!"

Aoi-san says while tugging on my arm. She's quite energetic.

Errands?

"Errands… Like taking out Stray Devils?"

Senpai….er, Buchou puts down her cup of tea.

"There are other things the Devils of this town do, other than things like that. It only became a priority because they began to grow as a threat. But with Viser's group disbanded, with a majority of those remaining fleeing the town, all operations are back up."

"Operations?"

She nods.

"Yes, operations. Devil's jobs, and various other things."

"Devil's jobs. Rias-senpai told me about that before."

"Huh, that Rias. She told you even before me who is your master."

Well, I think it was out of generosity, so there's nothing wrong with it?

Kiba-san did say that Rias-senpai is a very kind master.

"Maybe we should start with having Hiro-kun tag along with everyone's Devil's jobs."

Hitomi-senpai says that, she appears from behind and leans on the couch, as well as my head, with her arms.

"Good idea. That way, you can also know more about Devil's jobs."

Buchou says that after snapping her fingers, as if she just came up with an idea.

"Yay~!"

Aoi-san throws both hands in the air.

"W-What are you so excited about?"

"I think Aoi-chan's just excited because there's actually a guy in the club."

Aoi-chan doesn't react at all and is still smiling!

"Hitomi might be right, all this club needed was a bit of masculinity."

"Masculinity? I'm not even that masculine!"

"What are you talking about? You're already as manly as you can get!"

I stop arguing with Buchou, since it was going nowhere.

"Hey Yukino, isn't it exciting? Hiro-kun will be watching us do our contracts!"

Turning to the person Aoi-san was talking to, I find a girl about my age with long silvery-white hair and blue eyes, she also has hairpins on the right side of her hair.

If I remember right, this is Yukino-san, Buchou's Bishop. She also, like me, possesses a Sacred Gear.

"P-Please don't look at me like that."

She raises the tray to hide her face, I also avert my eyes away.

"I'm sorry, I did it without thinking!"

"Oh my. You should be more gentle, Yukino-chan is quite frail."

"H-Hitomi-san, please don't say things like that!"

They giggled while I put my hands on my thighs while lowering my head. It's so embarrassing!

I knew it, I'm terrible around girls!

Buchou then clasps her hands together, catching everyone's attention.

"Well then everyone, let's get this started. Please take care of Hiro-kun on my behalf until the end!"

[Yes Buchou!]

They all respond enthusiastically, looks like everyone's pumped up.

I sigh and also stand up.

 **Aoi Kimiko**

"Ku, so I'm first then! —Well then, get ready to be educated! Let this Aoi show you how it's done, Hiro-fukubuchou!"

She says while resting a hand on her hip and pointing a finger to me as she walked in front of me, I sigh.

We arrive in front of a sushi stand with a few customers on it.

"We're here!"

She spreads her arms, and begins to walk forward energetically. Waving her hands and legs back and forth in an exaggerated manner.

"Ah, Akuma-chan, you're here."

"I told you, it's Aoi! Anyway, do you have another contract for me?"

The wrinkly stand owner nodded.

"You can change into your uniform at the back, please take your time. Customers are coming up."

She then turns to me.

"Please take a seat, Hiro-san." She urges me on one of the stand's stools. I help myself and sit down, taking the blazer of my uniform off. I sigh at the fact that I still have the armband on.

I place it on the back of my stool and roll my sleeves back.

This stand is actually quite popular, like a mini-restaurant.

"Greetings everyone~ If you have any orders, then please tell me!"

Aoi-san shouts from behind the counter, she was fully dressed in a white apron and a handkerchief over her head.

She began working, moving around the kitchen like a blur.

First she's cutting ingredients, next she's cutting a new batch after throwing the previous ingredients into the grill.

She's a very energetic person. And she's just as energetic at working like this.

"Here, have some as well, Hiro-san!"

She puts down two bowls of beef stew and ramen. Hey! I can't eat all of this in one go!

"—Save one for me of course, I'll help myself once I'm done with this."

She says that as if she read my thoughts.

After a few hours, it was just me, Aoi-san and the stand owner.

She sits down on the stool beside me and inhales and exhales, breathing in and out to catch her breath.

"Phew~, another day at work."

She says while wiping her forehead and taking off the handkerchief in the progress.

"Is this usually what you do for a Devil's job?"

Aoi-san picks up the bowl of ramen which I saved for her, since I don't really know which she prefers between the two.

"Not usually…—"

Aoi-san sips from her bowl.

"—The owner of this place sometimes needs a helping hand. He says he plans on hiring employees in the future, but he thinks it'll be worthless since I can bench ten on me. Hahaha!"

After laughing a while, Aoi-san begins to eat.

"Will you take his soul once this is done?"

"—"

Aoi-san coughs on her food, and wipes her mouth with a handkerchief.

"S-Soul? Of course not! Devil's jobs don't work like that!"

She says while punching me on the shoulder.

"We do whatever the person who summons us wants to do, and they give us something in return. The value of the object depending on the task done."

I see. I feel slightly bad for asking a question like that.

Eventually I put down my chopsticks, I clasp my hands together.

"Thanks for the meal."

With this, I conclude the day with Aoi-san.

 **Hitomi Hoshimi**

After the light of teleportation disappeared, I found myself at a recording studio.

"—Hello!"

I nearly jumped where I stood as an unhealthy-looking young woman suddenly appears in front of me.

"—Uwaaah!"

She was wearing spiralled glasses and had messy dark-green colored hair tied into a bun with many strands sticking out. She wore a sweater with a jumper over it. She was really well-covered with clothing.

Raising both hands with peace signs, she also backed away slightly.

"Ah, it's K-san again."

The person accompanying me, Hitomi-senpai, says while walking beside me.

"Greetings, H-chan! Ooh, is this your boyfriend?"

The woman says while leaning forward and fixing her spiral-glasses, causing Hitomi-senpai to smile wrly.

"It's nothing of the sort, really…. Anyway, why did you call me today again?"

The glasses-woman, K-san, clears her throat.

"I need you to record another cover!"

She shouts while pointing a finger to Hitomi-san.

Hitomi-san sighs but then she smiles.

"Okay then, please take care of me."

"Ooh, definitely!"

Like that, they enter the room with a single chair and a microphone attached to the ceiling. It can be viewed from the outside through a rectangular glass pane.

After putting on the headphones and sitting down on the chair, Hitomi-senpai is left alone in the room while K-san goes back to where we were before and sits down.

The table has instruments that adjust various things on it.

"Alright! Let's get this thing started!"

She puts her hand on the microphone also attached to the table.

"H-chan, just do what you do best—okay~?

Hitomi-senpai who is inside the room nods and raises a thumb.

Music began to play, and Hitomi-senpai had a single hand on her headphones as she began to sing.

[—]

From inside the room, Hitomi-senpai's sweet voice filled the entire studio.

But what's really going on?

I go ahead and ask K-san.

"K-san, if I may ask… What's all this about?"

She turns her chair towards me.

"Ah, so you don't know. Me and Hitomi-chan run a little thing, whereas she does covers of popular songs with her voice, and I tune it and upload it for the world to hear. What's funny is that her covers tend to become more popular than the original song itself. We both go by the names H-chan and K-chan respectively, and nobody knows our true identity. —And I'd like to keep it that way."

She says, the last part being in a low tone.

"M-My lips are sealed, don't worry."

"Hmm, Hitomi-chan didn't mention anything about you…. Are you really not her boyfriend?"

"I'm really not…."

"Ah, then I assume you're just a colleague of her? What can you do?"

"Eh?"

I gain a questioning expression.

"Oh come on, don't act dumb. I know you guys are Devils. What special ability do you have?"

She asks.

"Umm…..what?"

"As far as I know, Hitomi-chan can do different things from her voice.—even hypnotize people. Your other colleague, Mizuki-chan, has superhuman strength and can lift a truck. Yukino-chan's is ice. Aoi-chan's is electricity. —So what's yours?"

I rub my chin, letting my elbow rest on my had.

Now that I think about it, she's right. I don't have anything at the moment.

Suddenly she punches me in the stomach.

"I'm kidding! Don't think too much about it. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Thinking about it…. Everyone's really amazing, huh?

Even now, Hitomi-senpai's voice is really beautiful.

I couldn't help but sit down. It was almost like she was singing me to sleep.

And that she did.

I closed my eyes as I fell asleep on the spot.

 **Yukino Takara**

"Looks like I'm tagging along with you for today, Yukino-sa—"

I turned to my side, expecting a silvery-white haired to be standing there.

Turning further, I find said girl collapsed on the ground.

"Yukino-san!"

—

After getting some shelter in an ice-cream stand, Yukino-chan was fine again.

"I know you're like something related to ice, but I didn't know you couldn't stand being in the sun for too long."

I gave her the cup of ice-cream with a metal teaspoon. Eating from my coned one as I sat beside her.

"A-Actually…. That's not the case…. I-I'm just so overwhelmed, being so close to you like this…."

"Huh?"

She gasped, her face reddening as she raised both hands and waved them.

"N-Nothing!"

Smiling a bit, I place my hand on my head and pat her.

"Don't worry, you don't have to be overwhelmed. It's just me, and I'll be with you guys from now on, you know?"

"….."

She began to breath heavily as her face reddened, smoke coming from her ear as her eyes turned into poorly-drawn circles.

I quickly remove my hand from her head.

"I-I-I'm sorry! I don't know what got to me!"

She also turns away.

After a while of awkward silence, she and I finished our ice-creams.

"Anyway, we should go now. The client's waiting."

She said, averting her eyes away from me.

Like this, we made our way through the town once again. The sun wasn't as hot as it was before, but since we're Devils, it still felt a bit hotter than usual.

"Why did you choose to walk, Yukino-san? I thought Aoi-san was the only one who couldn't use a magic-circle?"

"A-Ah that. W-Well, the client was close so…. I also thought we could talk a little, but then I ended up passing out due to the heat…."

She lowers her head.

"Hey, hey. It's fine. I'm fine with it. You are who I'm worried about. If you knew you couldn't stand the sun like that, why did you still choose to walk?"

"I-I thought we could just talk a little bit…"

"Is there something you want to talk about with me?"

I asked her.

Her face reddens and she turns away again.

"N-Nothing! Forget I said anything!"

We stop in front of a store.

"Ah, Yukino-chan, you're here."

A wrinkly old woman who looked like the owner of the store stepped out to greet us.

"Obaa-san, I came here for the Devil's Job you had for me?"

"Ah yes, yes…. And who are you?"

She turns to me with a friendly expression.

"Ah, I'm Akihiko Hiro. I came here to accompany and observe Yukino-san do her Devil's Job! Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"I see, I see. Wait… Akihiko Hiro, you say?"

"Yes."

She turns to Yukino-san.

"Is this the boy you were talking a—"

"L-Let's just get the job done, shall we, Obaa-san? Hahaha! Hahaha!"

She begins to act weird, urging the old woman as gently as she could back into the store.

I follow behind her.

"As you can see, our air conditioner for the shop itself and the cooling system for the storehouse is not working. An engineer will arrive here in a few days, but I'm afraid that will not do."

It does feel a bit hot in here.

"I won't ask you to keep the store cool, that's too much. But could you atleast return the temperature of the storehouse to what it's really supposed to be?"

"Y-Yes! I'll try my best!"

We enter the dark storehouse, it's a little cold than the rest of the shop. So this is what happens when the storehouse's cooling system fails?

Looking closely, some of the products began to melt.

"Well, then. I'll begin, please wait outside."

The old lady nods and leaves the storehouse, I close the door behind me after Yukino-san says.

"Are you sure you want to be here when this happens, Hiro-san?"

"Yes, I'll watch."

I stand behind her as she turns to face forward. Her body begins to give off a white glow, and wind suddenly spreads out with her at the center.

The temperature begins to decrease, and I begin to see my own breath.

A small blizzard occurs in the room, with Yukino-san being it's source.

Then suddenly the wind disappears, but the chill remains.

"There, all done—Hiro-san! Are you alright!?"

I smile while rubbing my shoulders with my hands, shivering as I did.

"Y-Y-Y-Yes, I am…. D-D-D-Don't worry…."

My body falls to the side, I begin to lose consciousness while shivering.

And like that, my day with Yukino-san ends….

—It's freezing.

 **Mizuki Yatogami**

After I regained my vision from the light of teleportation, I find myself in an open area. A park.

"Kyaaaaaa!"

I hear a scream, Mizuki-san who was beside me also turns to that direction.

We find a little girl crying on the ground while a woman who seemed to be her mother was calming her down.

"What's going on?"

I asked.

"Over there!"

Mizuki-san pointed to the tree in front of the two, and I quickly found the reason why.

But who summoned us here?

On the branch of the tree that Mizuki-san had pointed to before, was a small orange-colored cat with a red belt and a golden bell on it's neck. It was barely holding on with it's paws.

"Crap, what do we do?"

I began to panic on the spot. Most of the people around us who passed by without a care, shot us weird looks.

It's only natural that I would be like this! A life is in danger!

"Mizuki-san, what do we do?"

She puts her hand on her chin.

"We must've been sent here for some reason.—Wait, see that?"

She put her arm around my shoulder and pointed to the woman's pouch. A leaflet with Rudori's family sigil on it was peeking through it's pocket!

That's it! That cat must belong to the girl—her daughter, and her desire must've caused the leaflet to activate on it's own and summoned us here!

I suddenly wondered where she got it.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped."

I was suddenly swept off from my feet, I looked to see that I was being carried bridal-style by Mizuki-san.

"W-What are you doing! Please put me down!"

"There's no other way, please save that kitten!"

She places me over her shoulder and throws me like a javelin, causing me to feel the wind face first.

"—AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

While screaming, I was launched towards the same branch and managed to grab on in time.

—But I probably got a bruise or two on my chest.

"—Gough…. I….am _not_ doing that again, please…."

I decided. I then grabbed tighter, and got on the branch with the rest of my legs.

Crawling forward, I made my way towards the kitten who kept meowing loudly.

—!

"No—!"

I shouted as it lost it's grip with it's one paw, and it's barely holding on with the other.

All I could remember was leaping forward to catch it as it fell, put it on my chest with my arms around it with my back facing the ground.

After a loud thud, my vision became black.

—?

I opened my eyes, and I quickly find a familiar raven-haired shaking me.

"—Hey, Hiro-san! Wake up!"

I raise my upper body with her assistance, and I look around. I find the same mother and daughter, reunited with the orange kitten.

"You really surprised me, but you managed to save it after all."

She stands up while also helping me get up, I clutch my body since it hurt a bit.

"Thank you, Onii-chan!"

The girl ran towards me and hugged me, causing me to groan a little.

"Thank you, young man. Thank you for making my daughter happy."

I smile wryly at the mother of the child.

"It's nothing, really. Just be careful next time, okay? Take good care of it, okay?"

I spoke, the girl smiles.

"Yes, Onii-chan!"

I smiled slightly. Seeing someone who was crying not so long ago, shift into someone who's smiling, it made me feel quite warm inside.

"Mothers really do love their children, huh?"

Saying that, Mizuki-san responds.

"Yeah."

While I was looking at their retreating form, the sound of soft sobs tore through the silence.

I turn beside me to see Mizuki-san who was crying silently.

"Mizuki….-san. Is everything okay?"

Noticing me looking at her, she quickly wiped her tears.

"Oh, nothing! I just caught something in my eye! Yes, that's it!"

She quickly responded with a smile.

"Anyway, you did a great job!"

Mizuki-san raises her thumb.

"I'll…. I'll be heading back now."

She turned and began walking away from me, disappearing in a magic-circle faster than anyone could see.

I sighed.

There really is a lot of things I still don't understand.

I put my hand on my waist and look around, having nothing to do. Or so I thought.

Hearing a strage noise, I looked up to the trees. To the higher, less-exposed branches covered with leaves.

Something was moving!

I walked up to it until I was underneath the tree, I staired into the darkness. Unexpectedly, something stared right back.

In the darkness, a pair of hazel-colored eyes stared right into my eyes.

Upon closer expection, it looked like it belonged to a quite a large figure. Almost humanoid, actually.

I would've asked "Is anyone there", but then the shape leapt off the tree onto the bottom of it right in front of me.

Surprised, I slightly moved back.

—Another cat?

Unlike the one before, this cat was one with pitch-black colored fur instead. And it also didn't have a collar either.

"Eh, are you a stray, little guy?"

I got down and reached my hand forward, it quickly stepped forward and rubbed it's head along my palm.

Hmm, it must really be a stray. But what a coincidence, maybe it's the reason the previous cat crawled on the tree in the first place?

While thinking that, before I knew it, I was already holding the cat up with both hands.

Huh? Why is it looking at me like that?

It's not doing anything, it's just staring right into me with it's hazel eyes.

Then suddenly, while making a yawn, I felt something splash at my face.

"—Eh?"

While having a refreshed expression, the cat proceeded to urinate on my face!

"Gyaaaah!"

I fell on my buttocks as I wiped out my face while spitting out any possible liquid that got into my mouth.

Looking down, I find the cat licking the back of it's paw as if nothing happened.

I wiped my face with a handkerchief one last time, and then sighed.

Maybe it won't hurt anyone, since it's a stray cat.

Picking up the black cat, which made a slight meowing noise as it was picked up from the ground.

Upon closer inspection, it's fur really is the blackest thing I've ever seen.

Hmm, since I don't know whether it's a boy or a girl, maybe I have to be more careful giving it names.

Nn, black…

After a name came to mind, I raised it in the air by instinct.

"I've decided, I'm definitely keeping you— _Kuro_!"

Once again, it just stared right into my eyes, I placed it in my arms and held it to my chest.

I then began to head home.

 **Part 7**

"Are you sure about this? This is quite the responsibility, Hiro."

I was currently in the living room with Kaa-san staring down on me, her arms crossed.

"Yes I am, I'll definitely take care of Kuro! I'll make food to feed her—"

"—Wait. Did you just say, Kuro? You named a cat Kuro?"

Kaa-san asks.

"Umm, yes. I….I didn't know whether it was a boy or a girl, so to be safe, I….you know…"

"I see."

Kaa-san leans forward. And asks for Kuro, I give the cat to her and she quickly holds it up. Observing a certain body part.

She then tilts her head to the side and looks at me.

"Yes, that's it. Kuro is a girl."

"Eh?"

Well, Kaa-san is an expert at a lot of things, but how did she find out exactly?

I receive it—her, from Kaa-san. And she sighs.

"Since she's a stray, maybe you should do some cleaning. You too, shower before you go to bed."

"Okay."

Nodding at Kaa-san, I smile a little.

It's a good thing that she let me keep Kuro….-chan, she then proceeds and crawls on my shoulder from my lap.

"Let's go then."

Then at that exact moment, I thought.

—Was it okay if we bathe together?

I mean, she _is_ a cat, but she's also a female.

Won't it be a bit weird?

Ah, what am I thinking. It's probably nothing if it's a cat and a human in question.

It'll probably be nothing to Kuro-chan.

—

I sigh and sit down on the tub. Then, while making a splashing sound, a black bullet lands on the water with me.

Then a familiar head of a cat with hazel eyes peeks out from the water.

"Hey, what're you doing here?"

I ask as I raise her up, water dripping from her legs and feet as she meowed.

Putting her back down, she quickly swam in the water towards me. She put her paws on my chest, and once again stared me in the eyes. This time, her stare being so deep I felt like I would be sucked into her eyes.

Looking closely, was her mouth curved slightly?

Ah, damn it. I should focus on the task at hand.

I pick her up once again and begin to bathe her in the water in the tub.

Huh, it almost feels like I gained a child all of a sudden.

Like this, we went on and on until it was time to go to bed.

—.

After putting on a plain black t-shirt, I went up the stairs towards my room. This time, I was accompanied by a black cat.

Opening the door to my room, she entered it even before me who was the owner.

I closed it behind me and got on my bed.

She quickly crawled onto me, and fell asleep on top of my abdomen as she curled herself into a circle.

It really is hard to believe, but I have a pet now.

GIIIIIIIIN…..

I hear a noise from the back of my head, and a small magic-circle appears beside me on the bed.

Wait, this equation, it's Buchou!

While shooting up, I accidentally had Kuro-chan fall off. But look at the side of the bed, she was still fine and asleep despite falling to the floor just now.

The miniature magic-circle continued to glow.

Curiously, I tapped it lightly and a single silo of light sprouted from it's center.

It was static at first, but Senpai's fullbody figure eventually appeared on it.

[—llo, hello? Can you hear me, Hiro?]

"Uh….hello?"

[Hiro—!]

I was taken aback slightly.

[Oh sorry, did I call at the wrong time?]

"Oh, no no. I was just surprised, that's all. I just got on to the bed, what's up? Is there anything wrong?"

Senpai smiles and shakes her head.

[Oh, I see. I was about to go to sleep as well. I just called to check on you. —You've done great this past week, observing them. If you'd like, you can start doing contracts yourself… Just tell me when you'd like to start, okay?]

"Yes, Buchou. And, umm….goodnight, I guess?"

Senpai laughs slightly with her noise.

[Goodnight, Hiro-kun.]

And the holographic image returns to static and fades away, the magic-circle also disappears.

I sigh and lay my back on the bed, breathing in and out before I close my eyes.

This is probably the longest week I've ever had…..

—and probably the most enjoyable, too.

 **Premonition**

While the brown-haired boy, Hiro, lay asleep.

Little did he know of the shadow that erected itself from the side of the bed, blocking out the moonlight coming from the glass sliding door leading to the terrace on the side of his room.

The figure arced it's back, small bits of pink smoke coming from it's body.

It then lowered it's head, and two animalistic protrusions appeared on it's head, as well as a tale from the back of it's waist.

In the darkness, a pair of hazel eyes with a deep smile underneath them, watched down the unsuspecting boy.

The figure, now confirmed feminine, sat down beside the bed. And began brushing it's hand along the boy's foot, up to his shoulder. Then, it caressed his cheek with the back of it's hand.

A pink-colored tongue peeked out of the deep smile, as the figure licked it's lips.

It's intentions clear with the glint in it's hazel eyes, the figure continued to watch him.

As if she would gobble him up like a predator, any second.

She glanced at the moon outside, it's light completely illuminating the face of a woman.

Her cheeks were very red, and her breathing was heavy and was visible.

After smiling, she then opened her mouth to speak.

"This is really troublesome…. I guess I'll have to hurry, somehow….—nya."

Crawling on the bed, she got on all fours on top of the boy.

Their faces not so far apart from each other, her breathing grew even heavier as the glow of her hazel eyes in the dark grew slightly brighter.

She closed in on him, and there was no doubt that her breath was hitting the boy's face.

—GACHAN!

A noise tore through the entire room as the door opened slightly, causing the woman on the bed to turn to the door, surprised.

Peeking through it, was a woman with dark brown hair and turquoise colored eyes. She wasn't wearing her glasses like usual, as she was already heading to sleep.

What she saw through her own eyes, was her son lying on his back, and the black stray cat he found recently curled into a ball and lying above his torso.

Both were asleep, and she closed the door again after she had finished checking.

The cat raised it's head, and let out a sigh as it lowered it's head again.


End file.
